Geospatial National Gets Intelligence Accreditation
posted by Brandon Owens | March 3, 2019 | In NewsThe Geospatial Intelligence department of Fayetteville State University has recently been recognized by the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation in Washington, D.C. The department has met the standard required to be fully accredited, becoming one of few universities worldwide to do so. To commemorate this event Robert Cardillo, the Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) visited FSU to give a lecture about geospatial intelligence, its uses, as well as his experiences throughout his career.
Cardillo held his lecture at the Rudolph Jones Student Center on December 3. He provided a very engaging lecture, telling of his many experiences with NGA. He explained how geospatial intelligence works, covering a variety of topics, such as map-making, charting elevations, analyzing the depths of the ocean, and locating people of interest, using the capturing of Saddam Hussein as an example.
The NGA has proven to be an asset for safety, security, and information.
Cardillo explained: “We have a mission to make sure that people can safely navigate and travel from one place to another. We also have a mission to support people after a disaster occurs. And so, helping medical relief suppli- ers get to a location, to get food or water to an area that’s just been hit by a natural disaster. It’s a very rewarding mission in that we get to help people in need.”
During his lecture, Cardillo did inform the audience of internship opportunities that were available. He stated that he wanted to: “increase the talent flow to Team NGA.” He explained that he “wanted to make sure that we’re availing ourselves to the student popu- lation here at Fayetteville State. To make sure they know who we are and what we do, and give them some tips, and if they have interest, how they might join the team.”
There have been those from FSU who have interned with the NGA. Cardillo praised se- nior Ty’Rik Thompson for participating.
Telling of his experience during the sum- mer of 2018, Thompson explained that “be- ing there puts you in a sense of awe to be around all these accomplished individuals who are there to provide aid for our country on a national security level and to be able to learn from them. I went in thinking: ‘What am I going to offer? What am I going to do to pronounce me, and help me stand out?’ I learned that everyone there wants to help you succeed. If you have a question, they are more than willing to help you out. If someone couldn’t answer your question, they point you to someone who could. I felt my own knowl- edge base was greatly improved. One thing the internship tried to drive was exposing everything the agency had to offer those 10- 12 weeks we were there.”
Those interested in the NGA are encour- aged to look into it.
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