Quick Facts About VICEROY

Cyber-Spectrum Academic Outreach

Key Points
Achievements
Successes
Download Student Slick Sheet
Download DoD Slick Sheet

Key Points:

  • Goal: The goal of VICEROY is to accelerate and focus the development of foundational expertise in critical cyber operational skills for future military and civilian leaders of the Armed Forces. 
  • Methodology: VICEROY encourages early student interest in challenging DoD and national security problem sets through diverse curricula, experiential learning, projects, and mentoring.  
    • The program develops critical cyber-spectrum foundational skills while also honing student competencies in strategic language acquisition, cryptography, and data sciences.  
    • Traditional college curricula are augmented with hands-on, research-based, operationally focused experiential learning opportunities.  
    • VICEROY collaborates with academic institutions to establish Virtual Institutes that nurture talent aligned with DoD needs.  
    • The aim is to produce job-ready graduates equipped with the specialized skills required for cyber operations positions.  
  • Experiential Opportunities:  
    • MAVEN – An 8-wk cyber-spectrum technology and operations bootcamp, providing immersive experiences in DoD culture and operations, culminating in an IEEE-style research paper, poster session, and a mission-focused capstone project.  
    • ENVOY – In this 10-wk internship students are matched to DoD positions that meet operational skillsets and Department needs. They undergo immersion in DoD and service-specific missions and culture, supporting projects that move the mission needle. Students further receive SECRET clearances as required.  
  • Bridge Program: A temporary hiring mechanism is in place to retain VICEROY talent in anticipation of filling DoD positions, while awaiting the completion of the final United States Office of Personnel Management-required hiring processes. 
  • Incorporation of Critical Skills: Programming highlights the importance of incorporating strategic foreign languages, data science and mathematical foundations in cryptography, vital elements for the modern defense landscape.  
  • Unique Strategy for Expansion of Access and Diversity: VICEROY removes financial barriers and increases geographic and demographic diversity through engagement with key stakeholders; including MSI’s and HBCU’s. Thus, expanding awareness and interest in defense-related careers in underserved communities.  
  • Retain Core Talent: VICEROY works with the current personnel to retain a data-literate and technology-adept cyber workforce to ensure the U.S. maintains its warfighting edge. 

Achievements:

  • Reduced the financial and logistic barriers to increase diversity and enhance the geographic mobility of 314 students. 
  • Provided exciting internship experiences to 159 students during the summers of FY22, FY23, and FY24. Of these, 45% participated in a FY24 internship, demonstrating the program’s growth.  
  • VICEROY graduates are employed at various DoD facilities, including Army Futures Command, Army Test and Evaluation Command, and the 76th Software Maintenance Group, among others. As most scholars are still enrolled in VICEROY, the program’s future workforce impact is expected to grow further. 
  • 1008 students have been enrolled in VICEROY since 2022, expanding the current rate of talented cyber-spectrum leaders for placement within the defense sector.  
  • Thirty-eight DoD-related projects have been presented by VICEROY scholars, twenty-seven of which have been submitted for publication.  
  • In 2023 VICEROY launched an annual mission-focused national cyber competition, attracting ninety-two student competitors.  
  • VICEROY has exceeded the national average of 15-20% of female enrollment in a cyber-academic program, with an impressive average of 32%. 
  • VICEROY currently is connected with 54 ROTC units nationwide, cultivating cyber-spectrum leadership and excellence among cadets.  

Successes:

  • Increased Number of VICEROY Scholars: The number of VICEROY scholars grew by 47% from 2023, indicating a significant boost in student interest and program reach. This growth demonstrates the increasing recognition of the program’s value and impact in the defense community. 
  • Inaugural Poster Session: The first-ever poster session at the 2024 Annual Symposium featured 31 research projects, showcasing the innovative work and research conducted by VICEROY Scholars. Providing direct evidence to DoD leadership of the impact VICEROY-led research may have on defense priorities.  
  • Inaugural MAVEN Internship Programs at DoD Locations: Successfully launched MAVEN internship programs at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific and the Army Research Laboratory. These internships help bridge the gap between academic learning and practical application in Service-unique real-world context. 
  • New Course Development: Four new electromagnetic spectrum operations courses were developed by the Virtual Institutes, enhancing the VICEROY curriculum. These courses are designed to address current gaps in knowledge and prepare students for the evolving demands of the defense industry. 
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