FSU Gets a Visit from Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Gentry O. Smith
posted by Kinaya Gibson | April 2, 2024 | In NewsOn February 27, Gentry O. Smith, the assistant secretary of state for diplomatic security (DS) visited Fayetteville State University for a Diplomatic Security Takeover with Career Services.
Smith came to FSU to encourage students to get through school and find a job they are passionate about (maybe in DS). He also wants students to know that there are spaces for them in government.
He recommended students who want to pursue a career in the Department of State or any other field: “Number one, complete your education… Number two, go to careers.state.gov.”
Smith emphasized that talent is being sought out by everyone. He makes it his personal responsibility to make connections with college students.
The visit from DS gave students a chance to view what their futures could potentially look like in DS or federal government in general. They were given the chance to view vehicles specialized for their DS that included features from bullet-proof glass to specialized radios. Students were also given the ability to view a trailer for various surveillance cameras, including night and heat vision.
Smith said: “I’m heartened by the fact even today with everything we have experienced over the past few years there is still hunger for government/public service, and we want great people! And I know there’s great people here and I want my share of them.”
Smith is responsible for the security arm and law enforcement division within the U.S. Department of Diplomatic Security. Over the past thirty-seven years in DS, he has held positions starting as a special agent to the Director of the Office of Physical Security Programs, where he was the regional security officer at U.S. embassy in Rangoon, Myanmar, and Tokyo, Japan. His career also led him to being a security officer and a deputy assistant security officer when he was serving on tours in U.S. embassies in Rangoon and Cairo. Smith worked his way up the ranks and retired from DS in 2017 after serving as the director of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Foreign Missions. On August 12, 2021, he found his way back into the field when he gained his current title.
To find out more information about Smith and how you can potentially join him in the world of government and public service, please watch the full interview on YouTube: @thevoicefayettevillestateu3319.
Photos by Monica Williams.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.