NISA Director Dr. Edward Mienie chats with NISA attendees.

For the third summer in a row, high school students had the opportunity to attend the National Intelligence Summer Academy (NISA) held on UNG’s Cumming campus. Led by Professor Dr. Eddie Mienie, executive director of our strategic and security studies bachelor’s degree program and funded by UNG’s Institute for Leadership and Strategic Studies (ILSS) the week-long program provided 40 sophomores, juniors, and seniors an intense and exciting look at the field of “intelligence” and the US Intelligence Community. In addition, attendees received an overview of the myriad courses and programs offered at UNG that can set them up for a career in the intel field.

As in years past, NISA attendees got to hear first-hand from practitioners in the field — from US agencies such as the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as from foreign organizations. Together, the speakers combined their experiences and insights to meet the three primary goals of the Academy’s program – to lift the veil of secrecy on the hidden world of intelligence, exploring the history, challenges, and controversies ; to provide a context for understanding the important role intelligence has played in our nation’s history and continues to play today; and to provide a foundational knowledge of the intelligence field, setting the stage for possible careers in the field.