The Diana Initiative

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Showing posts from July, 2025

Meet Scholarship Winner: Abhijeet Kumar

Hi, I’m Abhijeet Kumar, a master’s student in Cybersecurity Engineering at the University of Maryland. I’m really grateful to The Diana Initiative for supporting international students like me and giving us the opportunity to grow and thrive in this field. Having moved to the U.S. from India, I’ve been amazed by the openness and enthusiasm of the cybersecurity community through conferences, hacker clubs, and mentorship. I used to watch recordings of Black Hat, DEF CON, BSides, and The Diana Initiative online, and I always wanted to attend in person one day. Thanks to this scholarship, that dream is now becoming a reality. I’ll be experiencing Hacker Summer Camp live for the first time. What I’m most excited about is the chance to get hands-on practice, connect with mentors in red teaming as I prepare for my OSCP, and meet and network with others who are equally passionate about cybersecurity. Events like this offer lessons you can’t get from videos; they provide real tools, real ...

Meet Scholarship Winner: Emiliano Antonio Jimenez

Hi, my name is Emiliano Jimenez and I am a cybersecurity student at RCC with an interest in Malware Analysis and Threat Intel. I'm passionate about cybersecurity and excited to be attending the Hacker Summer Camp! I’m especially excited to meet others in the field, learn from the best, and explore all the unique events during the week. Thank you to the Diana Initiative for this incredible opportunity.

Meet Scholarship Winner: Jennifer Peterson

Hi! I’m Jennifer Peterson, a proud coding bootcamp graduate, career changer, and mom. After working over 10 years in customer service and healthcare, I recently made the shift into tech because I was looking for something more fulfilling. This fall, I’ll be starting as a computer science major at LaGuardia Community College. It will be my first time back in school in 15 years, and I’m excited to continue building my skills and growing in this field. Being awarded The Diana Initiative Scholarship is such an honor, and I’m so excited to attend Hacker Summer Camp for the first time. I’m looking forward to exploring DEFCON and Black Hat, discovering new tools, and learning from real-world experiences. I’m hoping to meet people whose stories and paths inspire me, and to leave this experience feeling more confident, empowered, and ready to keep pushing forward in my cybersecurity journey.

Meet Scholarship Winner: Swetha Pai

My name is Swetha Pai and I am a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University, studying Information Security. Before starting my master’s degree, I had the opportunity of working as a Security Consultant and get experience in tackling complex security challenges in different sectors such as banking, healthcare, and government in the Middle East. I am honored to have been awarded The Diana Initiative Scholarship and excited to attend the Hacker Summer Camp! As someone looking to transition into a security analyst role, I am especially looking forward to exploring the Blue Team Village and discovering new tools at the Black Hat Arsenal. I hope to meet inspiring people, whether during a CTF, a hallway conversation, or a career fair and leave with insights, contacts, and relationships that continue beyond the week of the event.

Meet Scholarship Winner: Paola Mendiola E.

My name is Paola and I’m a proud cybersecurity graduate from the College of Southern Nevada. During my time as a student, I explored a wide range of topics, from working with Red Hat Linux and programming in Python to spinning up virtual machines and mastering spreadsheets (and much more in between!). I’m excited to be a part of this year's Hacker Summer Camp experience. As this will be my first time attending many of these conferences (DEFCON, TDI, SquadCon), I am thrilled to learn, connect, and soak up as much knowledge as I can. Lastly, I would love to give a huge shout-out to The Diana Initiative and all the amazing supporters who are making this possible.

Meet Scholarship Winner: Desiree Paya

After years in product management, I transitioned into cybersecurity to focus on securing infrastructure in partnership with the teams that build and run it. My interests center on cloud architecture, detection engineering, and identity. I believe security is most effective when it aligns with business goals and supports product velocity, not when it competes with them. I’ve developed hands-on skills through structured learning, a home lab, and certifications including Security+ and AWS Cloud Practitioner. At Hacker Summer Camp, I’m most excited to connect with others who care about building security into the way teams work -- not just as a technical function, but as a collaborative one. After months of learning on my own, I’m looking forward to conversations, community, and a deeper sense of belonging in the field.