Open Door Scholarship

Kitware is excited to open the application window for our Open Door Scholarship. We started this scholarship in 2021 as part of our efforts to help advance career opportunities for aspiring computer scientists in the Black community. We recognize that Black Americans are underrepresented in our industry. We strongly believe this needs to change, and we are dedicated to being an active part of the solution.

Program Overview:

Kitware will award one $5,000 scholarship for the 2025/2026 academic year for a talented Black high school senior pursuing an education in computer science or a closely related field. Scholarship recipients who continue to meet the eligibility requirements may renew their award annually, receiving up to $20,000 in total ($5,000 per year for four consecutive years).

To be Eligible for this Scholarship, You Must:

• Be a Black or African American high school senior graduating in spring 2025.
• Be a US citizen, permanent resident, or asylee.
• Plan to attend college in the fall of 2025.
• Plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree (or an associate’s degree as a step toward a bachelor’s degree) in computer science or a closely related field such as computer engineering, computer information systems, or software engineering.
• Demonstrate a passion for science and technology and/or a strong academic record.

What Do You Need to Apply?

• Two letters of recommendation (one must be from a current math or science teacher).
• A high school transcript (unofficial is fine).
• A statement about your experience/interest in software development, math, and science.
• A statement about why you are pursuing a computer science (or closely related) degree.
• A short essay on the following: You are given a large team of software developers and significant computing resources to tackle a current problem in the world today. What problem would you try to solve through software? What would the software application do? 

Ready to Apply?

Applications can be submitted between Wednesday, January 1st, 2025, and Monday, March 17th, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. ET. The scholarship recipient will be notified by late April.