Rogen McLeanI applied to the National Security, Intelligence, and International Affairs Research Internship hoping to learn more about the community and my place in it, and by the end, I was enriched by the staff, students, guests, and fellow interns at The Institute of World Politics in ways I didn’t expect. It’s an experience I’ll be grateful for as I build my personal and professional path.
The talent among IWP’s staff and faculty made the experience what it was. I attended U.S. Intelligence in the Cold War and Beyond, taught by Dr. David Thomas. Beyond his decades at the DIA and his deep knowledge of Chinese and Russian intelligence tactics, my favorite part of his class was the thirty minutes afterward, when he’d give us his read on current events, backed by his own experience in the field. I also had the chance to pick the brains of Dr. Christopher C. Harmon, Professor Lawrence D. Dietz, and Dr. Timothy McCranor, all experts in their fields. I talked with Dr. Harmon about the importance of building a personal library, books that travel with me and shape how I think about American values and regional expertise.
Individually, focusing on personal development week by week in briefings helped me grow the most. Covering India-Pakistan relations, cartel violence, and great power competition let me become a mini-expert every week and figure out what I actually enjoy about national security: the constant breadth of intelligence, and the ability to pivot between subjects. The steady feedback on my performance made me more confident in myself and in what I can bring to the professional world. I also developed my own research through in-depth projects, with feedback from M.A. and doctoral students pushing me to meet that level.
What made IWP unique for me, though, was the people around me. I’d never experienced a culture like it: so many people just as invested in national security as I am, but coming at it from such different backgrounds and experiences. Learning from them was a highlight of my time here, and it helped me understand myself and others better. It’s an experience I’ll carry with me and regard highly for the rest of my career.
Rogen McLean
National Security Research Intern, Summer 2026
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Class of 2028
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