page last updated: October 10, 2024
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CIDP Mentorship Program
At the CIDP, our objective is to connect future generations to the field of international and defence policy. Queen’s University is unique as it has both; a centre that works directly in this field as well as an undergraduate student body that is eager to connect with the defence and security community. The CIDP values Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigeneity (EDII) and mentorship provide a pathway to improve the inclusivity of organization. It is our hope that this program will increase our engagement with undergraduate students, and ensure that the CIDP is an inclusive space for future generations of international policy leaders.
To further this goal, we are connecting undergraduate students with our Visiting Defence Fellows with our mentorship program. Through workshops and small group discussions, students will facilitate a connection with experienced professionals in the field and develop critical skills. The program is designed to encourage interest in international and defence policy, as well as prepare undergraduate students with guidance regarding career development.
Students have the opportunity to participate in monthly informal meetings with our Visiting Defence Fellows. This setting allows for students to engage properly with VDFs on a variety of topics. Each meeting will consist of a workshop component, discussing relevant skills such as how to write a policy brief or networking basics. The second component of the meetings will open the floor to discussion about current events in international relations and defence policy.
The current U.S. VDF is LTC Wendy Tokach and the current Canadian VDF is Colonel Ryan Jurkowski, MSM, CD
For more information contact the VDF Mentorship Program Facilitator:
Cordelia Jamieson → 20ccj1@queensu.ca
Here is a list of all the past events organized by the Mentorship Program.
- Sept 28, 2022 - International Organizations
- Oct 26, 2022 - Leadership
- Nov 30, 2022 - The Military's Role in Post-Stabilization Conflicts
- Jan 25, 2023 - Stability Operations and Military Support to Civil Authorities
Student Resources & Tools
Here, students can find lists of resources to help them reach their academic goals.
Register for classes from the names below and you will be learning directly from CIDP Fellows.
Jane Boulden
Associate Professor - Department of Political Studies, Cross-appointment from RMC
H. Christian Breede
Associate Professor - Department of Political Studies, Cross-appointment from RMC
Wayne Cox
Associate Professor - Department of Political Studies
Allan English
Professor - Department of History
J. Andrew Grant
Associate Professor - Department of Political Studies
Oded Haklai
Professor - Department of Political Studies
Stéfanie von Hlatky
Associate Professor - Department of Political Studies
Christian Leuprecht
Professor - Department of Political Studies
Stéphanie Martel
Assistant Professor - Department of Political Studies
Grazia Scoppio
Professor - Department of Political Studies, Cross-appointment from RMC
Joel Sokolsky
Professor - Department of Political Studies, Cross-appointment from RMC
Summary prepared by: Benjamin Fisher
Looking to break into the Defence and Security career field and not sure where to start?
On March 10th 2022, our colleagues at Emerging Leaders in Canadian Security (ELCS) hosted a workshop at Queen’s about how to get started. Our group of CIDP interns have drafted some key takeaways from the workshop to act as a quick reference guide for students looking at careers in defence and security.
Who is ELCS? ELCS is a group of young professionals who came together to unify, connect and provide resources to the next generation of security and defence leaders in Canada. For more information check out their website here:
Content: The team at ELCS illustrated the three-main roles in defence and security in the public and private sector, external to academics.
They categorized them as follows:
- ANALYST
- Uses research and investigative skills to answer a question
- Often used as a buzzword in job titles, especially in the private sector and government
- Typically an entry-level position
- Recent graduates are typically excellent analysts as they have spent their undergraduate career working through data to make conclusions and/or recommendations
Associated Job Titles or Keywords: investigator, researcher and intelligence
Job example: Risk Control Analyst
- Role is to investigate intelligence on crises around the world and make threat intelligence reports
- OPERATOR
- Works directly on problems and issues with subject matter expertise
- Usually in the field of creating or enforcing (i.e., cyber security threat response)
Associated Job Titles or Keywords: screener, interviewer, specialist, officer, enforcement, responder, investigator
Job Example: Security Screening Investigator
- analytical thinking, target knowledge and context
- interactive communication, working in a team
- achieving results, change and innovation
- STRATEGIST
- Examines issues through general trends and bigger picture knowledge
- Shapes policy and decision making for an organization
- Aggregates and makes assessments for action
Associated Job Titles or Keywords: Policy, program, writer, government liaison, coordinator
Job Example: Briefing and Issues Advisor
- Identify emerging issues and trends with potential implications
- Knowledge of issues management strategies and can provide sound advice to leaders and officials
>>Typically, most emerging professionals move between these roles and do not spend their entire career in only one of these positions.
After identifying the different roles in the industry, it is additionally important to choose which sector you are applying to. Again, this is a fluid choice and can change throughout your career. The sectors include:
- Government (Federal, Provincial, Municipal)
- Private (consulting, managed service provider)
- Military (reserves or regular forces; army, navy, air force)
- Academia (university, think-tanks)
It is additionally important to have a specialty within the security and defence field. This is your unique area of expertise. Examples include terrorism, cybersecurity, nuclear weapons, extremism, regional (China, Russia, Iran etc.), intelligence, misinformation, privacy & law, and insurgency
For more information check out the resources available at
Video Content
Learn from in the field experience about how to consider ethics when conducting research with participants. Our CDSN Postdoctoral Research Fellow Johanna Masse shares her experience.
Internships at The CIDP
The CIDP offers a variety of student jobs/internships as part of a transformative learning experience at Queen's. These positions will help cultivate professional skills like initiative, collaboration, organization & attention to detail.
*Please note that while we offer internships & student researcher positions yearly, it is recommended to only submit your C.V & cover letter when there is a job opening, as we cannot keep track of every submission prior to an opening.
Learn about USSRF Fellowship Opportunities
Publish with the CIDP
The Contact Report is a blog created by the CIDP, to publish contemporaneous articles from an emerging scholar perspective in the world of security and defence.
Interested in getting your work published? We are looking for academic content focusing on security and defence related topics. All posts would be approximately 1000 words.
Contact Cordelia Jamieson, the managing editor for the blog: CIDPpublications@queensu.ca
Below are some student organizations at Queen's that may be of interest to you.
A number of our CIDP interns have connections with these student groups.