USF builds national security talent pipeline through rare program

By: Cassidy Delamarter, University Communications and Marketing

The University of South Florida is home to a rare and distinctive program that immerses students in the world of intelligence and national security. Through a partnership with Security Management International, a consulting firm based in Washington, D.C., USF is offering students direct pathways into careers with the CIA, FBI, State Department, military intelligence and leading defense contractors. Few universities provide anything like it and the results are shaping both student futures and the nation's security workforce.

Launched in 2020, the Security Training Collaborative is a 16-week internship program led by USF Corporate Training and Professional Education. Located on USF's Sarasota-Manatee campus, the program has helped prepare more than 40 students from USF and other universities to hit the ground running in high-profile positions after graduation.

"This is about preparing our students to walk into some of the most important security missions in the world, fully ready to contribute," said Brett Kemker, interim regional chancellor of the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus. "It's a program that not only changes lives but strengthens our country's national security."

Students gain hands-on experience far beyond traditional classroom learning. They take part in exercises with the Secret Service, U.S. Marshals and Capitol Police, while weekly sessions with national security experts introduce them to the latest trends in intelligence and security.

Each week, students conduct risk assessments for Fortune 500 companies, assist with crisis management planning and perform research to strengthen real-world intelligence investigations.

"Having this space has helped us take the program to a new level," said Jay Riley, a USF Corporate Training and Professional Education senior director, who helps oversee the program. "Our collaboration with our partners at USF has really expanded the program and helped students engage with different areas of the university they might not have known about before."

The program leverages Cyber Florida and the Global and National Security Insitute's Future Strategist Program at USF to give students, such as Nicholas Montemayor, additional resources and opportunities. Montemayor, a Coast Guard veteran with 12 years of service, is finishing his master's degree in strategic intelligence at USF this fall.

His internship work with the collaborative led to another opportunity at Cyber Florida where he analyzed critical infrastructure vulnerabilities across Florida and completed his CARVER certification, which is a military-developed risk assessment tool used by federal agencies and foreign governments.

"It was a really cool experience to do both internships because the programs welcomed me with open arms and the experiences worked in tandem to help me bolster my skillset and become more well-rounded," Montemayor said. "I think what USF is doing is phenomenal. When I first looked at grad school programs for intelligence, there wasn't a lot, but then I found USF and was amazed by everything offered."

The program is helping USF position Tampa Bay as a rising hub for intelligence and defense training.

LEARN MORE ABOUT USF'S PROGRAMS FOR CYBER AND NATIONAL SECURITY PROFESSIONALS

"Tampa is uniquely positioned as a hub for national security with MacDill Air Force Base nearby," said Luke Bencie, founder of Security Management International and former CIA technical operations officer. "The city and USF offer unmatched access to the military and intelligence community, so it made sense for us to create a pipeline to Washington from USF."

Many of the students from the program go on to secure full-time positions with federal agencies or defense contractors, often entering with or earning coveted security clearances that give them an edge in the hiring process.

Gretchen Stearns, a Navy veteran and cryptologic technician, says the hands-on work helped her land her new job at the Office of Naval Intelligence in Washington, D.C., shortly after graduating in Spring 2025.

"I'm really, really happy about it," Stearns said. "I get to apply everything I learned during my time in the military, the USF intelligence studies master's program and the Security Training Collaborative."

Stearns came to USF to pursue a master's degree in intelligence studies and left as a published author thanks to the program. Her research was published in the Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security International, analyzing how terrorist and criminal groups use both encrypted messaging platforms and social media for recruitment and communication.

With programs like the Security Training Collaborative, USF is not just preparing students for careers, it's shaping the future of America's national security workforce and positioning Tampa Bay as a leader in intelligence and defense talent.

For students interested in the Security Training Collaborative, email [email protected].