SAN DIEGO and TORONTO, June 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, is proud to announce the winners of its tenth annual Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship. Selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants across the US and Canada, the ten scholarship recipients impressed the review panel with their academic achievements, passion for cybersecurity, and commitment to making a positive impact in STEM fields.
This year marks a milestone in the program’s evolution with the continued expansion of the Cybersecurity Trailblazer Award Tier, a designation reserved for the most exceptional applicants who have demonstrated outstanding technical proficiency, leadership, and a deep, sustained focus on cybersecurity. The recipients of this year’s Cybersecurity Trailblazer Awards are U.S.’ Alexis Eskenazi, Crystal Yang, and Ismat Jarin, each receiving a $10,000 scholarship in recognition of their exemplary work. The Canadian Trailblazer recipients are Azka Siddiqui and Constance Prevot, each receiving a $5,000 scholarship for their remarkable contributions and potential to drive change within the field.
This year, Canada also saw the launch of the Future Leader Award, a new scholarship tier recognizing emerging talent with strong potential in the field of cybersecurity. Five students were selected to receive $1,000 scholarships: Yushika Jhundoo, Meadow Agbor, Tina Ismail, Vrinda Joshi, and Yashvi Shah. Together, these individuals have shown exceptional promise as future leaders in cybersecurity. Their ambitions and achievements reflect the values at the heart of the Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship: innovation, inclusion, and impact.
“This scholarship has always been deeply personal to us at ESET,” said Celeste Blodgett, Vice President of Human Resources at ESET North America. “As we celebrate its tenth year, I’m incredibly proud to recognize this group of brilliant and driven women. With so many outstanding applicants this year, selecting the final recipients was no easy task. What set these winners apart was not only their technical excellence, but also their drive to lead and create meaningful change. They represent the future of cybersecurity, and we’re honored to support them on their journey.”
ESET North America awarded $45,000 in scholarships this year to celebrate the program’s tenth anniversary, reaffirming its commitment to building a more inclusive and secure digital future.
Learn more about the Trailblazer Award recipients:
Alexis Eskenazi, Berkeley, California, United States: Alexis Eskenazi’s journey into cybersecurity began with competitive robotics, where building championship-level robots sparked her interest in how connected systems function. That passion led her to launch Eskenazi Ed-Tech & AI Consulting, bringing hands-on STEM education to over 400 students globally. From mentoring the world’s first all-female Indigenous robotics team in New Zealand to researching vulnerabilities in U.S. healthcare and semiconductor infrastructure, Alexis blends technical insight with education and policy to advance a more secure, inclusive digital world.
“Through work in technology, policy, and education, I’ve learned how to navigate complexity, and through community engagement, how to make that knowledge actionable,” said Alexis. “The ESET Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship represents critical support for my continued integration of technical, educational, and policy-driven cybersecurity work.”
Crystal Yang, Katy, Texas, United States: Crystal Yang’s interest in cybersecurity was sparked by watching scam-baiting videos, which seem humorous on the surface, but reveal just how vulnerable people can be to social engineering. Determined to fight back, she built TimeWaster3000, an AI-powered bot that wastes scammers’ time using natural language processing and speech recognition. As the founder of Audemy.org, Crystal has also created AI-driven educational games used by more than 5,000 blind and visually impaired students worldwide and implemented in 19 schools. Today, she is focused on cybersecurity projects aimed at scam awareness and social engineering defense for businesses.
“Cybersecurity isn’t just about protecting data,” said Crystal. “It’s about protecting people. Winning this scholarship helps me build tech that defends not just with firewalls, but with empathy, creativity, and humor.”
Ismat Jarin, Irvine, California, United States: Ismat Jarin’s path to cybersecurity began in her home country, where early experiences with societal biases and privacy violations fueled her resolve to protect underrepresented communities through technology. She became the first woman from her town to rank in the top 2% nationally for admission to her country’s top engineering university, later earning a Master’s in Systems and Security from UM Dearborn and now pursuing a Ph.D. at UC Irvine. Her research explores privacy risks in AI/LLMs and emerging technologies and has been published at leading conferences like PETS, NeurIPS(WiML) and CODASPY. Beyond research, Ismat is a passionate mentor and advocate, helping first-generation and underrepresented students find belonging and success in cybersecurity.
“For women from restrictive backgrounds like mine, it’s not just about breaking barriers,” said Ismat. “It’s about paving new paths so others can thrive. Ultimately, my contributions will help create a more inclusive and innovative cybersecurity landscape, where every individual can thrive.”
Azka Siddiqui, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada: Azka Siddiqui’s passion for computer science began in fourth grade when she programmed Dash robots during a classroom activity, sparking her fascination with the intersection of hardware and software. Her interest in cybersecurity solidified during a 2024 internship at Nokia, where she helped refine an advanced filter tool that monitored over 10,000 alarms. In addition to furthering her technical skills, Azka serves as Vice Chair of a national nonprofit empowering girls in STEM, has led a coding club spanning three Canadian provinces, and conducted research on smart-grid anomaly detection and eye-tracking technologies in university labs. This fall, Azka will begin her Honours Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, where she plans to focus on cybersecurity and AI with an emphasis on making digital spaces safer for women.
“As a young woman of color in tech, I’ve often felt like I had to work twice as hard just to be seen. Winning the ESET Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship reminds me that I do belong — not just in this field, but at the forefront of it. With ESET’s support, I’m committed to not only advancing my own journey in building ethical and secure technologies but also to challenging the barriers that keep others, especially women, from stepping into these spaces.”
Constance Prevot, Mount Royal, Quebec, Canada: Constance Prevot’s journey into cybersecurity began at Concordia University, where a Capture-The-Flag competition sparked a passion that would shape her academic and professional path. She has since represented Canada at the 2024 International Cybersecurity Competition in Chile, served as a SOC Analyst at OnePoint for Desjardins, conducted adversary-focused research at GoSecure, and co-presented her findings at conferences including HOPE and BSides. As President of Concordia University’s Software Engineering and Computer Science Society, she has led initiatives to make cybersecurity education more accessible, including launching “compétitionsquebec,” a platform cataloging local competitions and training resources.
“I believe in creating environments where individuals from all backgrounds can thrive and contribute their unique perspectives,” said Constance. “By continuing to bridge research, practice, education, and community engagement, I hope to help build a more secure and inclusive cybersecurity ecosystem.”
Future Leader Awards: This inaugural award proudly recognizes five exceptional students who exemplify the next generation of innovators and changemakers. With a $1,000 award, these students are being honored not only for their academic excellence but also for their passion and potential to shape the future of technology. This year’s awardees are:
- Yushika Jhundoo (Ottawa, ON) – Computer Science, University of Ottawa: Tech community builder and cybersecurity enthusiast dedicated to inclusive outreach and digital empowerment.
- Meadow Agbor (Calgary, AB) – Computer Information Systems, Mount Royal University (MRU): Cybersecurity intern and youth mentor with a passion for digital safety and inclusive community engagement.
- Tina Ismail (Mississauga, ON) – Electrical Engineering, McMaster University: Cybersecurity enthusiast and IEEE leader blending technical innovation, educational research, and creative expression.
- Vrinda Joshi (Markham, ON) – Systems Design Engineering (Co-op), University of Waterloo: STEM equity advocate and nonprofit co-founder empowering youth through coding, robotics, and hands-on innovation.
- Yashvi Shah (Caledon, ON) – Computer Engineering (Co-op), University of Toronto: Innovative researcher and tech educator with experience in AI, 3D simulation, and youth empowerment through coding and wellness initiatives.
Blodgett adds, “ESET extends heartfelt congratulations to all of this year’s winners. Their drive, curiosity, and commitment to cybersecurity exemplify the very best of what the next generation has to offer. As ESET looks ahead to the future, the company remains dedicated to supporting women in cybersecurity and building a more inclusive and secure digital world for all.”
Learn more about the Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship here.
About ESET
ESET® provides cutting-edge digital security to prevent attacks before they happen. By combining the power of AI and human expertise, ESET stays ahead of emerging global cyberthreats, both known and unknown— securing businesses, critical infrastructure, and individuals. Whether it’s endpoint, cloud, or mobile protection, our AI-native, cloud-first solutions and services remain highly effective and easy to use. ESET technology includes robust detection and response, ultra-secure encryption, and multifactor authentication. With 24/7 real-time defense and strong local support, we keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. The ever-evolving digital landscape demands a progressive approach to security: ESET is committed to world-class research and powerful threat intelligence, backed by R&D centers and a strong global partner network. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow our social media, podcasts and blogs.
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