29 Complete Homeland Security Master's Degree Program
These graduates will join a national cadre of cohorts who are helping keep our nation safer.
The September 21 graduation ceremony at the Naval Postgraduate School included 29 homeland security professionals who completed a Master of Arts in Security Studies curriculum at the NPS Center for Homeland Defense and Security.
The graduates comprise professionals from the fields of homeland security, emergency management, law enforcement, the fire service, public health, education, along with city, county and state government (see list).
The first program in the nation of its kind, NPS-CHDS provides a leading-edge, multi-disciplinary curriculum in its 18-month master’s degree program in homeland security. Graduates are required to write theses pertinent to their employing agencies.
“These graduates will join a national cadre of cohorts who are helping keep our nation safer,” said CHDS Director Glen Woodbury. “We are proud and look forward to their contributions to the homeland security enterprise in the coming years. They reflect the professionalism and dedication our nation deserves.”
Three CHDS Graduates Earned Special Recognition
Outstanding Thesis Award. Greta Hurt, District Fire Chief, Tulsa Fire Department. “It Takes a Village: Integrating Firehouse Hubs to Encourage Cooperation among Police, Fire, and the Public.” The award is based on academic rigor and the quality of the literature review, analysis and conclusions as well as writing and overall presentation of the thesis.
Curtis “Butch” Straub Award. Wayne Dumais, “The DHS Acquisition Workforce: The Threat’s not Leaving, Why are you?” The award is presented to the CHDS graduate student with an exemplary academic and citizenship record who has written an outstanding thesis and demonstrated outstanding leadership in the CHDS master’s degree program. Presented in honor and memory of one of CHDS’ founders, Curtis “Butch” Straub.
Mark Carr Esprit De Corps Award. Wayne Dumais. Test Area Manager DHS, Science and Technology. The award is named in honor of a former CHDS student who died in August 2014.