The first Annual National Security Symposium at Valley Forge Military College’s
H.R. McMaster Center for Security Studies brought together category experts to discuss
U.S. national security issues, as well as security in homeland emergencies, and foreign affairs

Lt. General Michael Plehn, president of the National Defense University provided the keynote address for the National Security Symposium.

“As the Military College of Pennsylvania, VFMC is an academic nexus for
collaboration and partnership with several key players in the national security field”, said
Robert F. Smith, Ph.D., M.Ed, provost, VFMC. “Our supportive and engaged alumni
have gone on to serve in various branches of security, intelligence, and protective
services, providing a foundation of experts who can enrich the education currents
Cadets receive here.”

VFMC has developed partnerships aligned with national security, including the PA
National Guard, the PA State Police, the US Army, the Central Intelligence Agency, and
various law enforcement entities as well as other universities specializing in national
security.

Majors at VFMC include cybersecurity, national security studies, criminal
justice, and engineering among others.

“As an institution that facilitates discussions through hands-on, immersive
educational approaches, we are preparing Cadets for careers in the 21st century
military currently being reimagined at the highest levels,” said Sean Chambers,
associate professor of English and assistant dean for faculty. “Cadets attending gained
valuable connections to experts in the fields of intelligence studies, emergency
management, and communication, and deepened their understanding about leadership
in security and emergency situations.”

“This is an ever-changing field,” said Dr. Smith. “We intend for this symposium to
be an annual event drawing in speakers who lead in this profession to accelerate our
Cadets’ education.”

Valley Forge Military College, the Military College of Pennsylvania, is a private
co-ed two-year college offering AA and AS degrees, and certificates in cybersecurity
and digital forensics, and an Early Commissioning Program (ECP) enabling graduates
to commission as officers in the US Army in two years v four required at other schools.