Trident Technical College awarded the Tonya Davis “Digging Deep” Scholarship to five students on Monday, Nov. 10. Michael Kenney of Mount Pleasant, Jeannette Lowery of Johns Island, Jacqueline Trahar of Charleston, Dimetrius Porter of Ladson and Madelyn Young of Charleston each received $1,000.
Sudofy.Me, a cybersecurity company, established the Tonya Davis “Digging Deep” Scholarship in 2024 in honor of Tonya Davis, a former instructor at Trident Technical College and employee of Sudofy.Me, for her dedication to students and her passion for cybersecurity education.
To apply for the scholarship, students created a one-page flyer with educational information about cybersecurity or a related topic. The winning flyers were chosen by judges from Sudofy.Me as well as faculty members from TTC.
Sudofy.Me’s founder and CEO, Ronak Patel, has pledged $10,000 annually to the scholarship. His commitment includes mentoring students and building a culture of purpose-driven innovation. “I didn’t want a teacher. I wanted a cybersecurity evangelist. That’s what I found in Tonya. Her passion, her ability to align course material to real-world outcomes—it changed the bar,” said Patel. “We’re not just giving money. We’re giving time, mentorship and opportunity. This scholarship is part of our DNA.”
Prior to joining Sudofy.Me, Davis helped build TTC’s Cybersecurity program. Her work led to TTC receiving the first Office of Naval Research grant awarded to a two-year college. She also championed opportunities for women in STEM, organizing events such as Girls' Day Out and the Palmetto Cyber Defense Competition. The scholarship’s name, “Digging Deep,” reflects Davis’s personal passion for fossil hunting.
Sudofy.Me employs a majority of TTC alumni and actively recruits students who show grit, resilience, and a hunger to learn, regardless of their backgrounds. Each year, the “Digging Deep” Scholarship provides assistance to multiple students enrolled in TTC’s Information Technology programs supporting cybersecurity training.