The Intelligence and National Security Foundation (INSF) announced the creation of The LtGen Vincent R. Stewart Endowed Intelligence Career Pathways Scholarship, which will provide $10,000 per year to Black/African American undergraduate students pursuing a career in the intelligence or national security community. Launched in 2021, the INSF scholarship program now awards more than $50,000 annually to mission-driven undergraduate and graduate students.
“Vince Stewart was a workforce champion,” said Suzanne Wilson Heckenberg, President, INSA/INSF. “He mentored emerging leaders in the Marines and across the IC, challenging them to take on responsibilities and grow in their careers. In addition, he was an outstanding ally and sponsor who ensured promotion boards and senior leadership were aware of the breadth of talent across their ranks. We are thrilled to honor his legacy through this annual award.”
A Jamaican immigrant who came to the United States at age 13, Vince Stewart was commissioned into the U.S. Marines in 1981. In his nearly four decades of exceptional service, he rose through the ranks and broke barriers, going on to serve as director of intelligence for the U.S. Marine Corps and as commander of the Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command. In 2015, he was appointed director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, becoming the first African American and first Marine to hold that post. On his final tour of duty, he served as deputy commander of U.S. Cyber Command.
Throughout his career, LtGen Stewart built a reputation as an innovative, results-oriented leader who cared deeply for his country, his people, and the next generation of leaders. He called on colleagues to “lift someone up. Elevate one coworker, help one individual. Make the dream real. Encourage someone, mentor someone, guide someone. And do it for someone who doesn’t look like you.”
Underwritten by Tony and Christine Frazier, the scholarship provides an enduring way to honor LtGen Stewart’s legacy and inspire future generations of Black and African Americans to bring their talents to the Intelligence Community.
Mr. Frazier, who is Maxar Technologies’ Executive Vice President and General Manager, Public Sector Earth Intelligence, noted that “I feel blessed to have built an amazing career at Maxar where we have been able to apply innovative technology to critical national security missions in partnership with our government, industry, and academic partners. Vince was a pioneer in our community as well as a committed mentor and talent champion who often ended conversations by asking, ‘how can I help?’ Christine and I hope that this scholarship will help to develop a diverse pipeline of world-class Black and African American Intelligence Community professionals who can make meaningful contributions to our nation.”
Additionally, INSF thanks Booz Allen Hamilton for their generous support of this award.
The 2024 INSF Scholarship Program will open in spring 2024. For details on how to support this award, visit https://www.insaonline.org/foundation/scholarships.
