Scholarship Supports Cybersecurity Leaders of the Future

DENVER — June 18, 2026 — Optiv, the world’s largest pure-play cybersecurity company, has announced Andrew Tolbert as the recipient of its annual Black Employee Network (BEN) scholarship.

BEN, an employee resource group at Optiv, oversees the scholarship as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to addressing the industry's talent shortage while simultaneously promoting inclusive representation.

Tolbert, a high school graduate from Oak Park, Illinois, will attend Purdue University in the fall where he will major in cybersecurity, with plans to pursue a career as a security analyst and penetration tester. He is particularly passionate about protecting vulnerable populations from cybercrime and increasing public awareness of online threats through education, advocacy and community engagement.

His interest in cybersecurity grew as he witnessed the growing number of phishing scams, fraudulent emails, phone calls and text messages targeting people around him. Seeing family members and others face these threats reinforced the importance of protecting personal information and helping people stay resilient in an increasingly evolving digital world. 

“Seeing the impact of deception both online and in my personal life shaped my perspective and strengthened my commitment to cybersecurity. My goal is to think like a cybercriminal, so I can help protect others from threats they may never see coming,” said Tolbert. “I am truly grateful to the Optiv Black Employee Network for this scholarship and the opportunity to further my education as I work toward making a lasting impact in cybersecurity.” 

Tolbert’s interest in cybersecurity led him to pursue an internship focused on cybersecurity awareness and phishing prevention. In this role, he conducts anti-phishing campaigns, analyzes employee responses and studies the factors that influence successful social engineering attacks. Additionally, Tolbert earned both the CompTIA Tech+ and CompTIA A+ certifications, demonstrating his commitment to building a strong technical foundation and advancing his cybersecurity knowledge.

Tolbert will receive a one-time scholarship of $10,000 to support his academic and professional goals. He will also receive mentorship from Optiv to help him through his freshman year of college.

“Andrew stood out as a highly deserving recipient of the BEN Scholarship, demonstrating exceptional initiative, technical curiosity and commitment to advancing in cybersecurity. His hands-on experience with penetration testing, social engineering awareness and Python development reflects both depth and real-world application, qualities that strongly align with Optiv’s mission,” said Chanel Cantey, co-Chair of BEN. “It is an honor for Optiv, through the BEN Scholarship, to invest in and empower the next generation of cyber leaders like Andrew, helping to shape a more innovative and inclusive future for our industry.”

The BEN scholarship is available to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students who identify as Black and/or African American (including African, African American and Caribbean individuals) and are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or permanent residents.