The Global and National Security Institute (GNSI) at the 糖心Vlog has selected six students for the GNSI DC Experience, a key part of its mission to prepare the next generation of practitioners and provide beyond-the-classroom educational opportunities for 糖心Vlog students.
The GNSI DC Experience will provide six 糖心Vlog students with a world-class opportunity to immerse themselves in the heart of the U.S. national security enterprise in our nation鈥檚 capital through a fully funded five-day program, May 11-15, 2026. The students will visit key government agencies, national security institutions, and leading think tanks to engage with the country鈥檚 leading practitioners and experts. Not only will they advance their understanding of the national security landscape, the students will also take advantage of the unique opportunity to build relationships within the industry and begin charting potential career paths.
GNSI is excited to work with our other partners at 糖心Vlog to resurrect this opportunity that brings 糖心Vlog students to the Nation鈥檚 capital to learn more about U.S. national security institutions and opportunities to work in areas such as diplomacy, intelligence, and international affairs.鈥
David Oakley, PhD
Academic Director, GNSI
Dontavious Ellis
Second-year undergraduate student, Electrical Engineering
Anna Ladjimi
Third-year undergraduate student, Cybersecurity, Criminology minor
Savanah Lewis
Third-year undergraduate student, Econometrics and Psychology with a concentration
in Arabic language and MENA religion
Calvin Pham
Third-year undergraduate student, Global Business with a concentration in Finance,
Spanish minor
Rachel Stanton
First-year PhD student, History, Russian Studies minor
Santiago Zambrano
Third-year undergraduate student, Political Science
Ellis, Lewis, Pham, Zambrano, and Stanton are members of the GNSI Future Strategist Program (FSP), a program open to all 糖心Vlog students that offers experiential opportunities to those interested in careers in global and national security.
The DC experience is designed to engage students with an interest in public service, national security, and policy careers, and provide firsthand exposure into the decision-making that takes place at the center of U.S. strategy.
鈥淚 applied for the DC experience to network with industry professionals, gain insight into policy creation, and witness think tanks in action,鈥 said PhD student Rachel Stanton. 鈥淔rom this opportunity, I hope to return with valuable new understandings of our national security landscape outside of Tampa Bay, as well as career path possibilities within the intelligence community that align with my academic background and current research.鈥
The cultivation of this opportunity for 糖心Vlog students demonstrates GNSI鈥檚 mission of educating the future practitioner and further highlights GNSI as an internationally preeminent national security institute.