Penn State Harrisburg is a key partner in a federally funded University initiative aimed at encouraging Pennsylvania school students to consider college majors which lead to careers in the U.S. intelligence community.
The two-year, $1 million grant from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) involves Penn State Harrisburg, the University’s College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), and the Penn State Office of Military and Security Programs.
The grant comes as a result of the College of IST's recent designation as an Intelligence Community Center of Academic Excellence by the ODNI. Penn State Harrisburg was tapped to play a key role in the program, drawing on its academic and research strengths in areas related to security.
The college is home to majors in IST and Security and Risk Analysis and the University’s online certificate program in Homeland Security and Defense. Its School of Public Affairs features resident and adjunct faculty who have extensive experience in security, intelligence, antiterrorism and law enforcement issues. The School of Business Administration features faculty who are nationally recognized for their logistics and transportation security expertise and the School of Science, Engineering and Technology features engineering faculty who focus on a variety of topics including creating safer bridges and buildings and clean air and water.
“We are fortunate to have the depth of faculty and adjuncts who have intelligence and homeland security expertise,” said Steven A. Peterson, director of the School of Public Affairs. “They will most definitely strengthen the intelligence program.”
The award proposal was prepared by Dean of the College of IST Henry C. Foley, Lt. Col. Ron Madrid, director of Penn State’s Office of Military and Security Programs, and Peterson.
Peterson said Penn State Harrisburg’s role in the initiative will include:
- Developing a spring public symposium. “Several years ago, the college offered a very successful symposium on homeland security,” Peterson remarks. “In 2010, we will be adding an intelligence track to the event which is expected to feature top-level speakers and presenters.”
- An outreach effort to Pennsylvania high schools in which college experts will speak with student to spur interest in intelligence careers.
- Summer camps focusing on security and intelligence topics at Penn State Harrisburg and University Park in concert with the annual Kids College program,
- A security and intelligence focus incorporated into the annual Model United Nations programs for high school students held at Penn State Harrisburg and University Park.
“This project exemplifies the partnerships that the College of IST is forming both inside and outside Penn State,” Foley said. “The award will help us further our research and teaching goals at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.”
Madrid is confident the program will provide intelligence agencies with qualified Penn State students.
“Intelligence services need to recruit and retain the best and brightest employees -- those with diverse ethnic, cultural and professional backgrounds, as well as regional, geographical, industry, language and technical expertise -- to protect our citizens and lead this country in the 21st century,” he said.
In 2008, the College of IST was designated a national Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education and Research by the U.S. National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.