{"id":39,"date":"2026-05-25T16:14:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-25T20:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/?page_id=39"},"modified":"2026-05-25T16:14:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T20:14:13","slug":"alumni-testimonials","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/alumni-testimonials\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumni Testimonials"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] pb-5 after:w-10 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Alumni Testimonials\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 60%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-2xl md:text-3xl lg:text-4xl lg:leading-[3rem] pb-4 after:w-8 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Julia Lauv, M.IPIS 2021\n                    <\/h2>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                            \n\n<p>I had worked in the federal public service for over 10 years and wanted to learn more about critical infrastructure and international security.\u00a0 I wanted to find something that would complement the work I do in the office.\u00a0 What interested me about IPIS was the wide variety of interesting courses.\u00a0 Being out of the academic world for over 10 years, I was worried I wouldn\u2019t be able to learn the way I used to.\u00a0 Enrolling as a part time student while still working full time was quite the challenge.\u00a0 Despite that, I found that my 10 years of working experience really helped me grab the content and view the bigger picture in the various courses.\u00a0 I found that working in the industry already as an intelligence analyst helped me pick up the content and learn and take in even more than I thought I would.\u00a0 It not only gave me the information and education on the subject matter, but it also opened up various resources and mental connections on the topics that will inevitably be useful in my career in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n                    <div class=\"cu-textmedia-bgimg flex-1 rounded-xl bg-no-repeat bg-cover \" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/249\/2026\/05\/JLauv2021-768x768.png); background-position: 46% 68%; transform: scale(1);\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n    \n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--grey ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl bg-cu-black-50 max-w-screen-2xl mx-auto rounded-xl px-6 py-5 md:px-14 md:py-12 md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row-reverse mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 60%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-2xl md:text-3xl lg:text-4xl lg:leading-[3rem] pb-4 after:w-8 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Alex Green, M.IPIS 2019\n                    <\/h2>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                            \n\n<p>I selected IPIS because I wanted a degree that was interdisciplinary, practical, and one that could prepare me for both a PhD and a job in the security field. According to my research, there were only two graduate programs within Canada that could meet that brief. Ultimately, I opted for IPIS because of Carleton University\u2019s proximity to the Government of Canada and the quality of instructors. My decision was cemented by the varied course selection and co-op opportunities. I enrolled in engineering and social science courses that emphasized policy relevant research and practical application. I feel that the program prepared me for both the job market and academia. I now work in the security field and am pursuing a PhD in War Studies.<\/p>\n\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n                    <div class=\"cu-textmedia-bgimg flex-1 rounded-xl bg-no-repeat bg-cover \" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/249\/2026\/05\/AlexGreem2019-768x768.png); background-position: 50% 50%; transform: scale(1);\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 60%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h2 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-2xl md:text-3xl lg:text-4xl lg:leading-[3rem] pb-4 after:w-8 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Nathan Patterson, M.IPIS 2020\n                    <\/h2>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                            \n\n<p>When I started the IPIS program, I already had more than twenty years of experience working in international security, including as a senior operations and security consultant in the finance, health, information, and energy sectors. I had led multiple international teams responsible for critical infrastructure protection. Despite all of my prior experience, I found the IPIS program challenging and rewarding. I truly value the incredible relationships and experiences I had, and the opportunities to participate in projects and engage with new subject matter that I never dreamed of. I met senior policy makers from Canada, the U.N., and key international security and infrastructure organizations such as NATO and the IAEA. My career objective was to serve my community, and the IPIS program has helped start me off. I am still at the very early stages of my public service, and while the Covid-19 pandemic has created obstacles it has also taught me the importance that seemingly small contributions can make during an emergency. I am particularly grateful for the opportunity the IPIS program gave me to expand the depth and breadth of my skills, pursue my passion, and for the many unique opportunities to serve during the biggest security event in Canada and the world.<\/p>\n\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n                    <div class=\"cu-textmedia-bgimg flex-1 rounded-xl bg-no-repeat bg-cover \" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/249\/2026\/05\/Nathan-Patterson2020-768x768.png); background-position: 50% 50%; transform: scale(1);\"><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cu_dining_location_slug":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_page_type":[],"class_list":["post-39","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":120,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/39\/revisions\/120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/ipis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=39"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}