IWP Students Present at the 2025 Intelligence Studies Consortium Symposium and Career Fair

The ISC Symposium

The Intelligence Studies Consortium (ISC) held its 5^th annual symposium on 19 March at Howard University in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE) and the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA).

Four IWP students presented the results of their academic research on one panel and in the afternoon poster session.  There were over 130 attendees and students representing nine schools, and IWP President Amb. Aldona Wos made a special guest appearance. Concurrent to the symposium was a career fair run by Mr. Derrick Dortch, IWP’s Director of Career Services.

Attending students ranged from undergraduates to doctoral candidates. The symposium was co-sponsored by nine schools: Howard University (host school), IWP, National Intelligence University, James Madison University, George Mason University, Marymount University, the University of New Hampshire, and its associated IC-CAE schools: University of Massachusetts – Lowell and the University of Mount St. Vincent.

This gathering brought together an impressive roster of subject matter experts, faculty members, and Intelligence Community “legends” who spoke on a panel about what lessons they learned in their careers.  The three student panels and poster sessions focused on strategic intelligence and Great Power Competition, emerging technology in intelligence, and violent non-state actors.

IWP graduate student Mason Stauffer represented IWP on the first panel concerning Great Power Competition.  His fascinating topic, “Succession of the Dalai Lama,” outlined how the Chinese Communist government is preparing for this transition in the Tibetan leadership. They are clearly fearful that this transition could lead to unrest. This panel was followed by a career talk from Mr. Dortch on working in law enforcement intelligence.

Poster Sessions

Noon brought not only lunch and the career fair, but 19 poster presentations as well.  Poster presentations allow students to spend more time than they would normally have on a panel to speak to individuals and small groups of attendees.  The posters can provide more information using graphics and allow attendees to dwell on topics that interest them.

IWP online graduate student Faith Njoku flew from Austin, Texas, to present her poster (she did the round trip in the same day!).  She was able to give her presentation directly to President Wos.  The topic – Intelligence Cycle Analysis: RICO Act and Organized Crime – made for a great poster presentation.  Faith also is a member of IALEIA.  She was able to drop by IWP afterward on the way to the airport and spend time talking to Dean James Robbins.

IWP’s two other poster presentations were given by graduate students Luke Payne and Vivek Seelamneni.  Luke’s topic was Human Trafficking Enterprise: Chinese Criminal Societies and Their Mexican Counterparts, and Vivek’s was Rethinking Mental Health’s Role in K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment & Management.  Both posters and presentations were detailed and topical in responding to current external and internal threats to U.S. national security.

A post-lunch IC Legends panel included Maj. Gen. Michael Ennis, USMC (ret), now with SAIC; Jim McCool, CEO of McCool Team LLC; Dr. Philip Ritcheson, a retired IC senior executive; and James Danoy, a retired senior-level intelligence officer from the Defense Intelligence Agency, now of George Mason University. The panel was moderated by Professor Linda Millis of Marymount University.

Career Fair

The ISC Symposium was followed by a career fair where students could speak with prospective employers and find internships. Participants included the Department of the Army Criminal Investigative Division (CID), Military Intelligence – Civilian Excepted Career Program (MICECP) of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM), Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Hoplite Group, the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA), The Counterterrorism Group (CTG), the Intelligence Training Center (ITC), the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (AFIO), and IWP’s National Security & International Affairs Internship Program.  Several Federal agencies had to cancel due to U.S. government hiring freezes recently put in effect, or the fair would have been even larger.

It’s a Wrap

“The ISC allows area schools with intelligence programs to pool limited resources and provide a professional event for students to meet each other and present their research,” said IWP Professor Aaron Danis, who is IWP’s representative to the ISC. “This is part of their professionalization process and an important step in their careers. More students should jump on this opportunity to show the results of research they have already completed. It’s a great resume builder. Also, thank you to Howard University for hosting this year and providing such excellent conference facilities.”

Dr. Chris Bailey, who coordinates the ISC as a professor at the National Intelligence University, is grateful for IWP support. “The IWP has been a great partner in this inter-institutional collaborative effort to organize and conduct an annual student-oriented symposium.  I have greatly appreciated IWP support in preparing for and conducting the annual event, including the Career Fair and the poster sessions.  IWP has had some excellent, even ‘over the top,’ student submissions.”