SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship Program
About the WISF Scholarship
The purpose of the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship program is to further educational opportunities for the widest spectrum of people and empower all to join the SIA Women in Security Forum and thrive in the security industry.
Through this scholarship – open to all SIA members and student members – each recipient will be awarded funds to use toward approved degree programs, continuing education, repayment of student loans and professional development programs (e.g. training courses, certifications and conferences). In 2024, $60,000 in scholarships were awarded.
Congratulations to the 2024 SIA WISF Scholarship Awardees!
[View the official press release.]
Shannon Berry, Legal Affairs Manager, i-PRO Americas
"I am deeply humbled and honored to have been chosen for a WISF scholarship. My passion is in law, and I am very grateful to SIA because this scholarship allows me to continue completing my Juris Doctorate and eases the financial burden of law school. As the mother of a son with an intellectual disability, I understand firsthand the importance of uplifting and empowering underrepresented groups both professionally and personally, because diversity and inclusion are critical. A law degree will enable me to further my career as an attorney and to use my voice and influence to create change for underrepresented groups within the security industry and society."
Lindsay Cotten, Customer Success Specialist, IoT and Platform Sales, Wesco
Lindsay Cotten has been an employee at Wesco for over five years, initially as a client services representative and most recently as a customer success specialist within the IoT & Platform Sales group. She is a very active employee for Wesco and has been a co-lead of the board of directors for Wesco’s Women’s Impact Network (WIN) business resource group since 2023. In addition to her full-time position, she has obtained her associate's degree and is now working on her bachelor’s degree from Purdue Global.
Christin Kinman, MPH, End User Sales Consultant, Allegion
Christin Kinman has a degree in civil engineering from the Catholic University of America in addition to a Master of Public Health from West Virginia University. She works for Allegion helping end users plan for security improvements through consulting, speaking and educational opportunities. Kinman is a member of SIA, DHI and ASIS and is a member of the School Security Standards Technical Committee, charged with developing a school security standard. She has published articles on security within the ASIS cultural properties and houses of worship communities and with Security Informed Roundtable and DHI Door Security and Safety Magazine and is a CPTED practitioner.
"I am profoundly grateful to be a 2024 SIA WISF scholarship recipient. This scholarship will allow me to pursue post-master's courses in school security and emergency operations. This will further advance my knowledge and skill set to empower and educate end users on best practices for planning for security and creating robust emergency operations plans. This funding will allow me to begin this coursework right away and bring this knowledge to schools and other institutions."
Melissa Lesperance, Corporate Security Director, Ilitch Holdings; Student, Harvard University
"I have had a tremendously blessed 28-year career in law enforcement/corporate security, and I am incredibly honored to be chosen as a WISF scholarship recipient. This year, I chose to continue my educational journey at Harvard University and entered their global studies program in international security. It is an honor to be a part of the SIA community, and this scholarship will help me achieve this academic goal and help me to go further in my security career by adding knowledge that will help me to expand my leadership role with a solid understanding of how global politics, peace and conflict, religious beliefs and other factors mold the world that we live in and affect the security industry. This will also allow me to further mentor and empower staff, become a stronger leader and inspire change. As Henry David Thoreau once wrote, 'Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.' This scholarship will help me do just that.
Gabrielle Martins Scotti, Student, Oakland Community College
Gabrielle Martins Scotti is an international student from Brazil currently living in Michigan, pursuing her associate's degree in cybersecurity at Oakland Community College. With a passion for security and a dedication to advocating for women and underrepresented groups in technology, Martins Scotti is committed to making a meaningful contribution the the cybersecurity industry.
"I am truly honored and grateful to be selected as a recipient of the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship. This scholarship not only eases the financial challenges I face as an international student, but also motivates me to work even harder to achieve my goals and succeed in the cybersecurity field. Thanks to WISF, I can focus more on my studies and my professional development.”
Jillian Mulloy, Student, Tufts University
"I am extremely honored to be a recipient of this year’s SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship. This scholarship will significantly ease the financial burden as I pursue my master’s degree at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Receiving this scholarship not only supports my immediate educational needs, but also empowers me to contribute more effectively to the field of international security in the future, particularly within the cyber realm. I am dedicated to leveraging this opportunity to learn from other women leaders in this field and advocate for greater diversity within the industry. Thank you, WISF!"
Carolina Restelli, Regional Marketing Manager, Latin America, HID Global
"I am deeply grateful to WISF for the opportunity presented by this scholarship. I am eager to learn and to enhance my professional skills. Education is essential for my personal growth, as it adds value to my daily development and fuels my pursuit of excellence. This scholarship also represents a significant opportunity for me as a woman in the security industry, allowing me to inspire other women to explore their potential in this field. I would like to extend my gratitude to SIA and to my leaders at HID for their support in helping me expand my knowledge."
Lauren Yonis, Global Events Manager, Acre Security
Lauren Yonis is a dedicated marketing professional with over five years of experience in the security industry. As the global events manager at Acre Security, she leads global event strategies, working closely with internal teams to ensure the brand is authentically represented at trade shows. In her previous role at Open Options, Yonis managed marketing efforts and assisted with transitioning to the Acre Security brand. Beyond her professional life, she is dedicated to volunteering with nonprofit organizations and mentoring the next generation of women. Yonis strives to drive progress within her company and the wider industry, advocating for a more inclusive and secure future for all.
"I am honored to receive the 2024 SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship. This opportunity excites me as it enables me to further my education and introduce innovative ideas to the security industry. I am committed to using this knowledge to enhance diversity and inclusion, advocate for inclusive workplace policies and drive innovation within my company and the broader security industry."
Thanks to our 2024 Scholarship Donors!
Diamond Sponsor
Emerald Sponsors
Ruby Sponsors
Sapphire Sponsors
SCHOLARSHIP BASICS
- Multiple scholarships worth $7,500 each can be used toward registration for industry education or certification programs, conferences or webinars; tuition for accredited education programs related to the security industry; and/or repayment of student loan debt
- Open to SIA student members and members of SIA's Women in Security Forum who are employees of SIA member companies
ELIGIBLE USES
Scholarship funds may be leveraged for any of the following purposes:
- Registration costs for any SIA education or certification programs or conferences.
- Repayment of student loan debt.
- Tuition payments for courses that will lead to completion of accredited programs offered by trade and vocational schools or associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree programs related to the security industry.
- Registration costs for other industry education and certification programs.
- Registration fees for industry webinar programs.
Eligibility
Each applicant must meet all relevant requirements set forth below to be considered eligible as a scholarship recipient.
- Each applicant must be either 1) a Security Industry Association (SIA) student member or 2) a member of the SIA Women in Security Forum and an employee of a SIA member company.
- Each student applicant must be enrolled in an accredited program offered by a trade or vocational school or an associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree program related to the security industry.
- Each industry applicant must be a full-time employee of a SIA member company that is current on member dues, have worked for the employer for a minimum of six months at the time of the deadline and be in good standing within the employer organization. The designated SIA primary contact for a member company will verify eligible employees.
- Current officers, directors and key employees of SIA and the immediate families of SIA officers, directors and key employees are not eligible to receive scholarships under the program.
- Individuals who have received any scholarship awards from SIA within the previous three years are not eligible to receive scholarship funds under the program.
- A goal of at least 50% of scholarship funds will be awarded to employees of SIA member companies.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Each applicant must complete the application and include supporting documentation.
- Fill out the application form with accurate and up-to-date information.
- Provide essay responses answering the following questions:
- Why have you chosen to apply for the SIA Women in Security Forum Scholarship, and how will the awarded funds be used? (250 words minimum)
- Describe how would you promote diversity and inclusion within the security industry and create a more equitable environment for women and other underrepresented groups. (500 words minimum)
- What are your long-term career aspirations, and how do you plan to use your education to achieve these goals? (250 words minimum)
- Who has been a significant role model or source of inspiration in your professional life, and why? (100 words minimum)
- Provide the names, titles, email addresses and phone numbers for two professional references.
Each applicant must submit a complete, signed application, together with all supporting documentation, including essays and professional references, by the deadline. The completion of the application form does not create an obligation on the part of SIA to award a scholarship to the applicant.
scholarship selection committee
The Scholarship Selection Committee (the “Committee”) will consist of volunteers from the SIA Women in Security Forum AmplifiHER Subcommittee.
Committee members are volunteers and perform their duties without compensation, financial or otherwise. If the Committee is reviewing the application of an applicant who is an employee of the Committee member’s company, or if the Committee member is otherwise conflicted with respect to the applicant, the Committee member shall recuse himself or herself from all deliberation and voting regarding the applicant’s application.
SELECTION PROCESS
- Only those applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and submit their completed applications and supporting documentation on or before the deadline (“qualified applications”) will be considered in the selection process.
- It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit a complete and signed application, along with all the supporting documentation, which must be received on or before the deadline. The Committee accepts no responsibility for incomplete applications, applications not in proper form, lost applications or any other submissions not in compliance with these requirements or the instructions provided with the application.
- The Committee scrutinizes applications for the use of generative artificial intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT, in essay responses, and priority is given to responses that demonstrate original thought.
- The Committee shall review each application and award points based on the applicant grading criteria set forth below. As noted above, a committee member with a conflict with respect to any applicant shall not participate in the review or grading of that applicant’s application and supporting materials.
- The scholarship award will be based on the Committee’s scores of the overall quality of the application and the scholarship essays. Applicants receiving the highest scores shall be awarded scholarships. In the case of a tie, the SIA CEO will make the final decision.
- Scholarship selection shall be made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other category protected by federal, state or local law. Conversely, an applicant will not be selected solely based on one or more of the categories identified above.
- The decision of the Committee is final and not subject to review.
- All deliberations and decisions of the Committee shall be recorded in Committee meeting minutes, which shall be drafted contemporaneously with the review and decisions of the Committee.
Application Grading Criteria
The following applicant grading criteria will be used by members of the Committee in reviewing applications and determining which applicants will be granted scholarships:
| SIA Membership | Up to 10 points |
| References | Up to 10 points |
| Essays | Up to 80 points |
| Up to 100 points |
AWARD REDEMPTION
Each recipient must enroll in an approved course or program within 12 months of being awarded the scholarship, and should coordinate with SIA for reimbursement of paid course or program fees. SIA will reimburse the scholarship recipient up to the value of the award upon submission to SIA of sufficient course enrollment documentation and a completed Form W-9. Payment will be made to the award recipient by ACH or wire transfer and in US funds.
If the course or program fee amount is greater than the awarded value, the recipient will be responsible for the balance. If the course or program fee amount is less than the value of the scholarship award, the recipient will have a credit, up to the total award amount, that may be available for future reimbursement of related professional development expense within the 12-month period following the award.
The scholarship recipient may be reimbursed for student loans, course tuition and entry or program attendance fees, but may not be reimbursed for study materials, travel costs or any other expenses related to approved courses or programs. In the event that a scholarship recipient is seeking to use the funds for repayment of a student loan, SIA will pay directly to the scholarship recipient up to the value of the scholarship following submission of sufficient loan documentation to SIA.
donor pROGRAM
- Funding of the scholarship program is achieved through contributions by individual members of SIA and member corporate support.
- Unless specifically designated by a donor, contributions will be made toward the general scholarship fund.
- Donation levels:
- Diamond level: $10,000-19,999
- Emerald level: $5,000-9,999
- Ruby level: $1,000-4,999
- Sapphire level: ≤$999
- Donations made in excess of $20,000 annually may have the privilege of “naming” a scholarship, subject to the approval of the Scholarship Committee and the SIA Executive Committee.
Tax Deductibility Status
Your contribution to SIA, a 501(c)(6) organization, is not a tax-deductible donation; however, each company making a donation should check to see if contributions can be deducted as part of the company's own business operations deductions.
Thanks to Our Scholarship Volunteers!
SIA thanks the members of the WISF AmplifiHER Subcommittee for lending their time and expertise to fundraising and evaluation for this year’s WISF Scholarship:
Co-Chairs:
- Martha Entwistle, senior manager, strategic communications, Eagle Eye Networks
- Tia Eskandari, senior director, national field service, Allied Universal Technology Services
Additional Subcommittee Members:
- Beth Anderson, senior channel marketing manager, Allegion
- Rebecca Bayne, president, Bayne Consulting & Search, Inc.
- Jim Black, senior director, security architect, Microsoft
- Lynn de Séve, founder and president, GSA Schedules, Inc.
- Lori Hudnall, vice president, human resources, SAGE Integration
- Lyndell Kline, secured entrance strategist, Boon Edam
- Elaine Palome, director of human resources, Americas, Axis Communications
- Julie Rolles, account executive, WeSuite
- Ania Ross, director, product and technical marketing, Wesco
- Lisa Sobek, channel marketing manager, Allegion
- Gannon Switzer, vice president of sales management consulting, Vector Firm
- Tanya Turner, director, human resources, Salto Systems
As well as Kenia Caballero, industry affairs manager at SIA. Thank you!
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