UMSA Foundation Scholarship Program

Scholarship Sponsored by Upper Midwest Security Alliance Foundation

Introduction
The UMSA Foundation has established a scholarship program to further its work in cross-disciplinary education and collaboration. In addition to supporting organizations and professionals in security and risk fields, the Foundation is committed to investing in education. These scholarships provide financial support to help develop future leaders and strengthen our industries.

Available Awards
- Four (4) scholarships of $3,000 each
- Eight (8) scholarships of $1,000 each
Awards are intended for students in either undergraduate or graduate programs. Applicants may submit applications for more than one eligible field.

Eligible Fields of Study (applicants may apply in multiple)
- Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
- Cybersecurity
- Governance, Risk, and Compliance
- Physical Security

Notification and Recognition
Winners for the 2026 UMSA scholarships will be notified in April 2026. Recipients will be invited to be recognized at the Secure360 Conference on May 13–14, 2026, and may also be acknowledged at additional Secure360 events during 2026 as scheduling allows.

Important Dates
- September 15, 2025: Application opens
- February 28, 2026: Application deadline
- April 2026: Winners announced
- May 13–14, 2026: Recognition at Secure360

Eligibility Requirements
- Applicants must be one of the following:
- A high school senior, or
- Enrolled in an accredited college or university as an undergraduate or graduate student, either during the current calendar year or the upcoming calendar year
- Field of study must be in one (or more) of the four listed areas above.
- Applicants must live in or attend school in one of these upper Midwest states:
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Wisconsin
- UMSA board members; UMSA Foundation or UMSA committee members; and their immediate family members (defined as spouse or child) are ineligible.
- An individual may be awarded up to two UMSA scholarships within any four-year period.

Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
Scholarship recipients will be chosen based on:
- Demonstrated alignment with UMSA’s goals, mission, and vision
- Quality of the written application and essay responses
- Relevance of academic program or personal objectives to at least one of the eligible fields
- A phone interview, if requested by the selection committee

Questions about the program or application process can be directed to the UMSA Foundation (contact details available on the Foundation’s website).