UM Welcomes National Intelligence Director at the Annual Summit

The Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, and U.S. Representative Trent Kelly took center stage at the University of Mississippi (UM) during the annual Center for Intelligence and Security Studies’ Days of Intrigue event on Friday, April 5, 2024. The annual event that spans over three days is designed to provide students with unique access to leaders of the intelligence community and hands-on, real-world scenarios through an international incident simulation.

Haines and Kelly Address Future Intelligence Officers

In discussion with UM students, Haines emphasized the broadness of opportunities in the intelligence community for students from all fields of study.

“What some people assume is that there are only certain fields of experience we are interested in, but that’s not true,” shared Haines, the first female director of national intelligence. “Having terrific language skills is great, STEM is also great, but the reality is we’re looking for folks with every type of expertise. There really is a job for almost everybody.”

Echoing Haines, Kelly urged students to pursue their passions, even if they seem impossible to achieve. “I promise you the world is open to each and every one of you if you’re willing to take the chance and do something you love. Do something you love and make it a career,” Kelly told students.

Bringing Washington D.C. to Oxford

According to Shaio Zerba, director of the Center for Intelligence and Security Studies, Days of Intrigue also serves as an essential opportunity for networking between students and potential future employers. Before joining the main session, fifteen students had the chance to engage with Haines and Kelly on a wide array of topics, such as navigating the politics in Washington, D.C., the impact of artificial intelligence on society, and long-term threats from other countries like China and Russia.

Student Reactions

Sydney Lynch, a political science major from New York, expressed her appreciation for the insight provided by the event. “We got some real-world insight into a political sphere that you only see on TV,” said Lynch “Director Haines is a Democrat and Rep. Kelly is a Republican, but they work together every day. That’s important for us to see.”

The Role of the Next Generation in Solving Technological Issues

Trends and technological advancements highlighted during the discussion demonstrated the reliance on the next generation to find solutions to complex challenges such as the influence of AI on society. “I think the solutions are in your generation, not my generation,” stated Kelly.

Founded in 2008, the UM Center for Intelligence and Security Studies has emerged as a prominent hub for future intelligence officers over the last 16 years. Known well for organizing premier national security-centered career events, the center, through its annual Days of Intrigue event, continues to gain recognition and pave the way for passionate and talented students to contribute to the nation’s security and intelligence community.