Meet Lena, KnowBe4's 2022 U.S. Military, Veteran, and Spouses Cybersecurity Scholarship Winner

As part of KnowBe4's ongoing commitment to veterans and their families, we host a yearly $10,000 scholarship and (ISC)² certification package, which is open to any United States veteran, Guard, Reserve, or their spouses who are currently pursuing a degree in cybersecurity. Today, we hear from Lena, our 2022 scholarship winner, a military spouse who is passionate about continuing her education in cybersecurity! With this scholarship, she plans to finish her master’s degree in cybersecurity and use it to begin her career in web intelligence. Here’s a closer look at our conversations with Lena. 

What initially sparked your interest in cybersecurity?

We all know that the cybersecurity industry is booming. With online crimes becoming more common, I saw how my background in law enforcement and federal security could go hand-in-hand with forensics and intelligence. I decided to go back to school to learn as much as I can about cybersecurity and earn the certifications needed to break into this industry.

How will this scholarship help you start your career?

Because of this scholarship, I am able to finish the final semester of my master's program in June without taking on student debt. Being a military spouse who wants to move up the corporate ladder is challenging unless you have a career that allows you to relocate often. Receiving this scholarship will not only help fund my master's program, but I will also be able to obtain critical cybersecurity certifications that will open many other doors within my career! I am incredibly thankful to the scholarship committee of KnowBe4 for selecting me for this scholarship. 

What do you like to do for fun?

I absolutely love to travel! My husband and I have been all over the United States. We recently visited Europe, and Naples, Italy is our favorite place. We love trying new foods and embarking on adventures such as jet-skiing!

Who inspires you?

I know it sounds cliche, but my mom! People who go through adversity and make something out of themselves, despite numerous obstacles, inspire me. My mom raised me as a single mother, is a doctor, and owns multiple companies. Anyone who continuously tries to better themselves while contributing to the community, the way my mom did, makes me want to work harder. 

What advice would you give to someone applying for this scholarship?

My advice to anyone applying for this scholarship is to be open with what you have gone through. People appreciate the authenticity! My other piece of advice is to ask for feedback if you don’t get selected so you can improve for next year. I have applied for this scholarship a few times and didn’t get it. So coming from experience, I used the feedback the committee gave me to improve my application, and finally won this year!

For anyone who is applying and is close to completing school like I am, I suggest applying for this scholarship because you can use it to pay for cybersecurity certifications to ease the barrier of entry into your career.