Nine students in the Utah Valley University (UVU) National Security Studies (NSS) program had the unforgettable opportunity to visit the United States capital June 6-10 for the program’s annual D.C. Summer Seminar. While there, they immersed themselves in the profession of national security and prepared for work in the government and national security fields.

“The main reason I wanted to go was just to get that firsthand, real-life experience that I had heard so much about for the past two years,” said UVU NSS senior Benjamin Udall. “I wanted to have a better vision of where I want to go and what I could really see myself doing, and the trip really gave all that to me. It was totally worth it.”

Udall, who will graduate with his bachelor’s degree in national security studies in December, plans to take the LSAT and apply to law school this year.

Selected from a pool of over thirty applicants in the program, the nine students participated in six weeks of intensive coursework and one week in D.C. They worked on their resumes and cover letters and completed mock interviews and writing samples. They also studied and visited the Pentagon, State Department, CIA, FBI, National Security Council, White House, and Capitol Hill, as well as one non-governmental and one international organization.

A trip highlight for the students was being able to meet with entry-, mid-, and senior-level people at each of those departments and agencies, who advised them and may even serve as mentors and contacts.

Associate professor Ryan Vogel led the trip. He is a former senior policy advisor in the Pentagon and the founding director of UVU’s Center for NSS and the NSS academic program.

Vogel said that students usually start out with a general interest in one area and the seminar either refines or expands their interest and vision. Furthermore, students from past years have been able to turn their summer seminar experience into job and internship opportunities.

“I think that for a lot of students it's a really eye-opening experience,” Vogel said. “Some of them have been to D.C., but they have never been inside those buildings. Or if they have, they haven't met with the professionals in that kind of way. There are people that have an interest in these students, and then that relationship they have going forward is invaluable.”

Amanda Clark, a junior in the NSS program, said that speaking with professionals taught her an important lesson: take the opportunities that come your way to better your professional experience and increase your skill set.

If Udall had to narrow it down, his favorite part of the trip was the time spent at the National Security Council in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. “Being able to go there and sit down with the two representatives that we talked to was really special,” he said. “We left there and even Ryan said, ‘I hope you guys realize how cool that was. I hope you realize that that's something hardly anyone gets to do.’”

Each year the seminar also includes an alumni night where students get to meet with UVU NSS alumni who are working in the industry. Andre Jones, who serves as president of NSS alumni’s D.C. chapter in addition to his work for the federal government, organizes and carries out the event. He also provides mentorship and resources for as many UVU students as he can.

Jones said it's invaluable for students to network with their “predecessors” — people who made it all the way through the program and landed great jobs. “Students can ask, ‘How’d you do it? What did you do? What worked for you?’” he said. “And [alumni] can talk to students about that while they’re out here.”

Vogel said that UVU’s NSS program is the only one of its kind in the Intermountain West. “I think it is one of the very best programs in the country,” said Vogel. “Especially when you consider the outputs. We put people in those jobs. I think the fact that students have flocked to our program from across the country is a good indication of how we're doing. And it's been a lot of fun to watch it grow.”

“I’ve not even been in the program a year and I've had the opportunity to really excel at an exponential rate,” Clark said. “Not only are students here lined up for success, but the professors help you get there. If anyone's considering national security and they are in the West or anywhere else in the country, come to UVU. It will definitely change your life completely.”

​​“I'm proud of where we are, because we have a really solid reputation,” Vogel said. “People are starting to really take notice, like UVU is a force to be reckoned with in this area. It’s a great thing.”

Photos courtesy of Amanda Clark