Department of Defense Senior Military College Cyber Institute
The Department of Defense Senior Military College Cyber Institute (SMCCI) aims to inspire and mentor undergraduate students interested in pursuing cyber-related careers with the Department of Defense (DoD) either as civilians or uniformed service members.As part of this program, you will have access to the following opportunities our Cyber Fundamentals Course (CFC), Applied Research Projects, and DoD Summer Internships. You will also learn about DoD job opportunities and receive mentorship for applying to federal internships and jobs.
Department of Defense civilian employees work side by side with their military counterparts to defend the United States without being required to meet military service obligations and requirements. Check out the DoD Civilian Careers website and DoD Cyber Workforce Framework – DoD Cyber Exchange for more information on what it means to serve in the DoD as a civilian and discover DoD Cyber Work Roles.
Benefits - You will garner significant educational and long-term benefits:
Receive a stipend for participation/research during the academic year
Compete for DoD Summer Internships with all expenses paid and stipends
Engage in 1-3 year applied research projects on real DoD national security problems
Present your work to senior leaders at conferences
Receive mentorship from experienced professionals
Learn about DoD cyber-related civilian and officer opportunities
Grow your network of peers interested in DoD and cyber careers
Boost your resume with high-demand skills and experience
Applicant Requirements -You must meet the following requirements to be considered:
US Citizen and eligible to obtain a security clearance (refer to U.S. Intelligence Community careers - Security Clearance Process (intelligencecareers.gov)).
Rising Sophomore, Junior, or Senior with a minimum 3.0 GPA in Major
Preferred Majors include Computer Science, Computer Engineering, CMDA, and BIT-Cyber but students of all cyber-related backgrounds and interested in the DoD are encouraged to apply
Open to DoD careers!
Student Expectations - After acceptance into the program, you will be required to:
Complete 5+ hours of related work a week
- Attend and present work at the annual Colloquium during the spring semester
Provide updated resumes (regular and federal)
Maintain good academic and Honor code standing while enrolled in the program
If not commissioning as a Military Officer, apply for DoD Internship(s) (Sophomores, Juniors) and Job(s) (Seniors)
Demonstrate professional commitment and participation throughout the program (Refer to Agreement Letter if selected)
Our applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are closed.
The SMCCI utilizes the CREATE Range, a Large-Scale, Remote Cyber-related Learning and Research Environment for cyber, AI, and data-intensive applied research. Learn more at the CREATE Range page: Cyber Research Environment and Threat Evaluation (CREATE) Range | Hume Center | Virginia Tech
Please contact Will Hanley (willhanley@vt.edu) or Denise Rahmes (drahmes@vt.edu).
