posted March 8, 2010
 Katherine Johnson at the National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security in Washington, D.C. Click to enlarge. |
Representatives from such organizations as the Central Intelligence Agency, the U.S. State Department, the Foreign Service Institute and the Pentagon led sessions and provided insights on current issues. Among the speakers was Philip Mudd, former deputy director of the Office of Terrorism Analysis at the CIA. Katherine said that his talk and encouragement to the attendees to consciously follow their dreams had an effect on how she used her time during the forum. “I took advantage of the many opportunities that I was given,” she said.
“One of the things we did was a simulation exercise designed to help us understand the different parts that go into making policy decisions. It was quite a high stress environment,” she admits, “but it was an enjoyable experience. I learned how to work with other people from different backgrounds and ideas and to both let my voice be heard and let others speak as well.”
The crisis decision-making process, according to the forum’s organizers, “gives the students an opportunity to use critical thinking, leadership, and public speaking skills to tackle the complexity of national decision-making.”
Leading academic institutions in the Washington, D.C. area also welcomed students to classes on diplomacy, international affairs, and military strategy.
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