Highlights of the 2023 Virginia Intelligence and Security Studies Invitational
February 25, 2023
Over 40 area high school students braved the cold and rain on Saturday morning, coming to the University of Lynchburg’s campus to participate in the first Virginia Intelligence and Security Studies Invitational. Teams from nearby Amherst County High School, Brookville High School, and Virginia Episcopal School presented their policy proposals around the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. These proposals were reviewed and critiqued by four judges, with constructive criticism given to each team.
After the presentations, the teams were given new information and asked to propose a policy solution in real time. Each team was aided by University of Lynchburg intelligence studies majors, who acted as mentors to the teams. The judges then gave feedback on those proposals as well.
The four judges represented various fields within the world of security. Judges included David Rosser, a former member of the Secret Service, Leland Hertig, an intelligence collector at the Defense Intelligence Agency, Karen Walker, a program executive with the Presidential Precinct, and Jeff Taylor, a senior intelligence analyst at the National Security Agency.
Special thanks go out to Dr. Sabita Manian, dean of the Lynchburg College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Brian Crim, and Susan Hogg, associate vice president of enrollment management.
The event was organized by the Lynchburg College of Arts and Sciences’ School of Social Science, the Intelligence Studies Program, and the Office of Admissions at the University of Lynchburg.
