As part of our commitment to the future fight against cyber-crime, we are excited to announce details related to our first ever college scholarship essay contest.

The contest, which is now open to applicants, offers a top prize of $1,000 to legal U.S. residents who are currently enrolled as a full-time student at any accredited college or university in the United States. In addition, all applicants are required to carry a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Applicants are encouraged to thoughtfully consider the last year as it relates to cyber-crimes and choose the most influential story of 2016. They are then asked to craft a 600–1,000-word essay addressing how the news media covered the crime as well as what advice the student would offer to relevant leaders and policy makers in the wake of the story.

All applicants must submit their essay online no later than March 1, 2017. In addition to their essay, applicants will need to submit a formal copy of their transcripts to Exabeam.