Newswise — The University of Illinois at Chicago has launched a new partnership with the Central Intelligence Agency that will enhance student career opportunities at the university, officials recently announced.

UIC will receive resources to support academic enrichment and workforce development activities for students. The new pilot partnership, called the Signature School Program, will also draw on UIC’s rich academic programs, the graduation rate of its students, as well as the diversity of its student population.

The agreement “will establish a solid partnership between UIC and the CIA and provide our students a greater breadth of career opportunities,” said UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis. “The Signature School Program will provide UIC students with direct access to careers and internships within the agency for many years to come. It’s a win-win situation for both of us.”

Under the program, UIC will partner with the agency to expand current career services programming and provide additional opportunities for students to be exposed to careers in the federal government.

“The CIA is committed to building a diverse workforce that has a broad range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, language expertise, and educational and life experiences to ensure diversity of thought and the ability to operate effectively worldwide,” said Maja Lehnus, the CIA’s associate director for talent.

Some of the examples of the collaboration of the Signature School Program include:

The CIA will have a regular recruiting presence on the UIC campus to build relationships and sustain contact with qualified student applicants.

UIC students will have opportunities to engage in on-campus interviews, information sessions, workshops, simulations and networking activities with CIA personnel.

Students will participate in unclassified discussions, presentations and seminars that discuss the business of intelligence and learn about employment opportunities within the CIA.

Students will also participate in selective professional development events, such as mock interviews, résumé reviews and panels to strengthen their career search.

“The Signature School Program provides our students direct access to numerous career options at the CIA. Through this program, students will be able to attend career-focused workshops and meet individually with CIA staff. It is this type of access which will help our students make an informed decision in pursuing a career with the agency,” said Thy Nguyen, director of UIC Career Services.

Currently, three schools are formally recognized as CIA signature schools: Baruch College of the City University of New York, the University of New Mexico and Florida International University.

About UIC

The University of Illinois at Chicago is a major research university located in the heart of one of the world’s greatest cities. As Chicago’s only public research university, UIC is an integral part of the educational, technological and cultural fabric of the city. Ranked among the top 25 best public universities in the nation by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education, there are 15 academic colleges where students are able to explore their interests in fields ranging from business and engineering to education, liberal arts and sciences, urban planning, and social work, as well as architecture, design and the arts.

About the Central Intelligence Agency

The CIA is an independent agency within the federal government that is responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior U.S. policymakers. The CIA’s mission is to preempt threats and further U.S. national security objectives by collecting intelligence that matters, producing objective all-source analysis, conducting effective covert action as directed by the president, and safeguarding the secrets that help keep our nation safe.