Metro State University proudly hosted the inaugural North Star Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (IC CAE) Annual Colloquium on Friday, September 12, at its Saint Paul campus. The event brought together nearly 75 students, faculty, government officials, military leaders, and industry professionals for a day of dialogue, collaboration, and forward-looking strategy under the theme Securing the Future: Building the Intelligence Workforce of Tomorrow.
Major General (R) Johanna Clyborne delivered the keynote address, Responding to Evolving Global Threats in the Age of AI and Strategic Competition. Her remarks highlighted the increasingly complex national security environment defined by rapid advances in artificial intelligence, disinformation campaigns, ransomware, and the ongoing strategic competition with near-peer adversaries. She emphasized the urgent need to prepare the next generation of intelligence professionals to operate in this shifting landscape.
The colloquium featured four dynamic panels that explored critical issues shaping the intelligence and cybersecurity fields. Panelists included representatives from the FBI, CIA, Department of Defense, Minnesota National Guard, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, City of Saint Paul, Target Corporation, and other key partners. Discussions focused on the national threat landscape and cyber intelligence responses, career pathways from campus to clearance, interdisciplinary approaches to intelligence education, and strategies to build a sustainable talent pipeline through academic-agency partnerships.
Throughout the program, panelists underscored the importance of collaboration across sectors to address emerging threats, from AI-enabled ransomware to vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. They also highlighted the ongoing reforms in workforce development, including clearance modernization through Trusted Workforce 2.0, and the value of experiential learning opportunities such as internships, mentorships, and applied research partnerships.
The day concluded with an open roundtable discussion that invited students, faculty, and agency partners to share ideas on strengthening the regional intelligence and cybersecurity ecosystem. The conversation centered on emerging skills, future collaborations, and how Minnesota can continue to serve as a hub for national security workforce development.
Dr. Faisal Kaleem, professor of Cybersecurity at Metro State and director of the North Star IC CAE, reflected on the importance of the event: “This inaugural colloquium demonstrates Minnesota’s leadership in shaping the intelligence workforce of tomorrow. Our designations as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (NCAE-CD), Cyber Operations (NCAE-CO), and as an ODNI-funded IC CAE, position Metro State at the center of this critical mission. We are deeply grateful to our keynote speaker, panelists, and partners who helped make this event a success, and we look forward to building on this momentum.”
Metro State’s leadership in cybersecurity and intelligence education reflects its commitment to preparing a diverse, skilled, and resilient workforce for the challenges outlined in the Annual Threat Assessment 2025, Executive Order 14179 on AI governance, and ongoing national security priorities.
The colloquium drew media coverage highlighting its importance at both regional and national levels. Coverage included a radio interview on WCCO Radio and a spot on KARE 11.