News

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Congratulates Top Performers

Hampton University, Claflin University, and Miles College Compete as Finalists in the FBI National Curriculum Development Challenge

Washington, D.C. – December 15, 2006 – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is proud to announce the winners of the first FBI National Curriculum Development Challenge. During the fall 2006 semester, collegiate teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities competed nationwide at the undergraduate level for a chance to win a $3,000 scholarship. Each team was responsible for creating lesson plans to introduce middle school students to one of three careers in the FBI. The top three teams received a trip to Washington, D.C. to present their lesson plans to personnel at FBI headquarters. Hampton University located in Hampton, Virginia placed first in the competition, receiving $3,000. The second place winner, Claflin University located in Orangeburg, South Carolina received $2,000 while the third place winner, Miles College located in Fairfield, Alabama received $1,000.

The student teams participating in the FBI National Curriculum Development Challenge were responsible for analyzing a case study, which discussed the importance of the Intelligence, Information Technology, and Language careers in the Bureau as well as the responsibilities and tasks of those positions. The case also discussed the importance of reaching out to younger students and introducing them to the FBI as a career opportunity early on. Each team selected one of the three career areas and developed interactive, lesson plans that were age and stage appropriate for middle school students. An independent judge from academia reviewed all case studies to determine which three teams would present their results to the FBI. On Friday, December 8th, the finalist teams formally presented their lesson plan concepts to a prestigious panel of FBI personnel at the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. The judging panel consisted of Aubrey Farrar, Sr., Supervisory Special Agent at the Washington Field Office; Margaret Gulotta, Section Chief of Language Services; John Sheridan, Recruiter in the Baltimore Field Office; Richard Sosa, Supervisory Security Specialist in the Human Resources Division; and Phyllis Watson, Supervisory Special Agent in the Washington Field Office. All five judges were impressed with the students’ recommendations and ideas. Each student team also responded to questions and critiques from the judging panel.

Gwen Hubbard, Unit Chief of the Personnel Resource Unit who commissioned the case study concurred that the students’ lesson plans are invaluable to the FBI in their efforts to enhance their community outreach programs with students at the middle school grade levels. Following their presentations, she was so impressed she offered all of the students an internship with the FBI for Summer 2007.

The FBI is striving to represent the face of America and to meet current recruiting challenges, including the need for culturally diverse individuals looking to make a difference. As the FBI transforms from primarily a preeminent law enforcement agency, to a world-class, forward-thinking intelligence organization, the Bureau is looking to find the next generation of best and brightest employees. In order to meet the growing and diversifying need for Special Agents as well as Intelligence Analysts, Linguists, and other professional staff positions, the FBI is approaching recruiting and community outreach in a whole new way. The FBI National Curriculum Development Challenge is just one of several innovative marketing and recruitment initiatives being implemented by the FBI to help grow the pipeline and attract America’s best and brightest students to consider careers with the Bureau.

For more information regarding possible career opportunities with the FBI, please visit www.fbijobs.gov.

The FBI National Curriculum Development Challenge was developed and managed by Orinda, California based EdVenture Partners. EdVenture Partners develops programs for their clients that link industry and education utilizing EdVenture Partners’ curriculum-based, peer-to-peer models. EVP is the only marketing education consultancy in the United States that brings together educators, students, clients and their channel partners for mutual collaboration, partnership and benefit. All EdVenture Partners designed programs provide the opportunity for students to apply academic theory to real-world situations, thereby leveraging student minds in addressing client goals and objectives.

For more information on EdVenture Partners, please visit http://www.edventurepartners.com.