NJCU Student Selected for Competitive Federal Internship

Shanayah Jones, a graduate student in the Department of Professional Security Studies, will be interning at the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) in Colorado Springs, CO in summer 2018. She is one of ten students selected nationally to participate in the Volunteer Student Internship Program.

Ms. Jones will return to NJCU in the fall to complete her MS Degree in National Security with a dual specialization in National Security and Cyber Security. After graduating, Ms. Jones plans on working in forensic psychology because it combines her love for psychology, law, and insatiable urge to help protect innocent people.

While being a full-time student, Ms. Jones has been in the United States Army Reserve for nearly five years and works alongside Judge Advocates as a Paralegal Specialist in the JAG Corps. As a civilian, Ms. Jones also works full-time as a Site Supervisor for Allied Universal and part-time as a Legal Secretary.

The internship program will provide Ms. Jones “an opportunity to work hand-in-hand with my brothers and sisters in arms” but on the civilian side, rather than as a soldier. Ms. Jones hopes to gain a greater understanding of national security issues, policies, and operations; “The internship will help shape me for the rest of my life and I cannot wait to begin!”

Through the Volunteer Student Internship Program, NORAD and USNORTHCOM aim to develop future Defense and Security practitioners and leaders. Interns work alongside civilians, military professionals, and foreign delegates on current missions and operations related to the defense of North America. To participate in the program, interns must be able to successfully complete a security clearance background check (the costs of the security clearance process are covered by NORAD and USNORTHCOM).

Dr. Graig R. Klein, Assistant Professor in the Department of Professional Studies, established NJCU as a partner in the North American Defense and Security Academic Alliance (NADSAA), which provides collaborative educational opportunities, national security curriculum workshops, connects students to this internship opportunity, and connects academics and students to the agencies’ research interests.

Graduate students interested in this program can contact the program coordinator at n-nc.peterson.n-ncj7.mbx.j72-internship-omb@mail.mil.