Thomas Vella

(Thomas Vella, UNG Alumnus ‘21)

In 2021, Thomas Vella was one of the early graduates of UNG’s Strategic and Security Studies Program with a concentration in International Affairs and a minor in Arabic. While a student, Thomas’s time with the PSIA Department led him to study abroad in Oman and take part in the esteemed Alexander Hamilton Institute's Washington Program on National Security. As an alumnus, he is employed in the private sector of national security as a Booz Allen Hamilton wargaming analyst.

Thomas’s pathway to his current career was not straight and required diligence and perseverance. It all started when he landed an internship that brought him to Washington, D.C., giving Thomas a glimpse of life in the national security field. After taking a few positions not strictly national security focused, Thomas received his “first mini break, if you will, getting a job as an open-source intelligence analyst, which introduced me to the intelligence community and the intelligence cycle.” 

With many doors opened, Thomas landed his current job at Booz Allen Hamilton where he supports the United States’ Department of War. When describing his position, Thomas shares: “The U.S. Military faces a wide range of strategic and analytical challenges constantly due to the nature of the work and some of these questions can be answered through a war game. My team helps design and conduct those war games to support analysis and leadership decision making.” 

Often national security is associated with the public sector, but Thomas informs how there are great opportunities for students in the private sector that can be “more insulated from the changes in government, like political leadership. They're a little less affected by changes in administration that might change priorities and funding.” Thomas assures that there are contracting positions for “pretty much any opportunity you think might be just available to government employees.”  

(Thomas Vella at the United States Capital)

Thomas’s time at UNG and with the PSIA Department helped prepare him for his accomplished career. Notably, Thomas recalls how “my writing and analytical skills improved greatly within the program. I have many fond memories of working with Dr. Beall and Dr. Hightower to help strengthen my writing.” Thomas shares how UNG's Strategic and Security Studies Program helps “train students to consume very large amounts of information quickly and turn it into clear actionable products, which is a skill that will transfer directly into national security. It also provides a very strong kind of foundational understanding of strategy, operations, and military history, which is incredibly valuable.” Even as a civilian, UNG provided Thomas with exposure to the U.S. military, seen as highly beneficial within the national security field as “even those little tidbits of contextual information helps. Being able to say, I went to a strategic security studies program at a senior military college gives it a little more validity and weight that I recommend students kind of weigh in on.”

For students interested in working in national security to make the most of their time at UNG, Thomas has three points of wisdom he wishes he would have known before he graduated. First, he wishes he would have known to start strategically building up notable skills for entry-level positions. “I recommend that you try to find opportunities, even if it's not national security related, that allows you to claim that you're working on your communication skills, leadership skills, and applicable skills, to help you get that first job.”

Secondly, Thomas shares how it is “much easier to get a security clearance as a student” and pursuing an internship or opportunity that will sponsor clearance can be a valuable career-building experience.

Last, Thomas encourages students to recognize the value of networking and to build their connections as "reaching out to people via LinkedIn or your fellow alumni or maybe even professors and just building that network while you can, will help you kind of speed up your career.” 

Overall, Thomas Vella imparts how “working as a contractor in national security has been incredibly rewarding, and I encourage every student who is interested in national security to go pursue it.”