UCF Students Win Inaugural International Security Strategy Competition 

A team of School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs students earned first place for their Arctic security strategy, demonstrating the power of collaboration, critical thinking and real-world problem solving. 

Written by: Emily Dougherty | Published: July 6, 2026

Five College of Sciences students put their national security knowledge to the test and came out on top, earning first place at the inaugural International Security Strategy Competition hosted by the University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute. 

The team, composed of Jeffrey Betz, Bryan Fernandez, Amylyn Miller, Rebecca Richner and Cannon Wisley, competed against students from universities, military colleges and intelligence-focused programs from around the world. Their winning proposal, “The Frozen Frontier,” addressed emerging security challenges in the Arctic as climate change opens new trade routes and increases competition for strategic resources. 

For the students, the competition was more than an academic exercise. It was an opportunity to apply years of coursework, research and classroom simulations to a real-world security challenge. 

“What inspired me and my team to participate was the chance to represent UCF and show everyone what we Knights are capable of,” Wisley says. “We wanted to represent not just ourselves, but the faculty who had invested in us and taught us about national security.”

Faculty advisor Thomas Dolan mentored the team he selected, helping the students refine their skills and prepare for the competition.

“I oriented them and provided examples of policy recommendation papers,” Associate Professor Dolan says. “I also organized a 90-minute practice where they responded to a practice prompt and received constructive feedback from me and group of students from the security studies doctoral program.”  

The team’s strategy focused on helping NATO address growing geopolitical competition in the Arctic while avoiding unnecessary escalation. Their proposal combined diplomatic, economic and military approaches, while accounting for emerging security concerns such as cyber threats and gray zone warfare.

According to Fernandez, the team distinguished itself by presenting a practical and adaptable strategy supported by extensive research and visual analysis.

“We had countless maps showing trade routes, resource-rich areas and military installations,” Fernandez says. “We also focused on challenges other teams weren’t discussing, including gray zone warfare and unconventional threats.”

The team’s success was rooted in collaboration. Members divided responsibilities based on their strengths, including military strategy, diplomacy, economics, research, writing and presentation development. They then challenged each other’s assumptions and refined the proposal through multiple rounds of feedback.

“We decided before the competition that we would each stick to our strong suits,” Betz says. “Then we reviewed everything together and made suggestions. Every member contributed something essential to the final product.”

Students credit their UCF education and mentorship from faculty members, including Dolan, Graduate Teaching Assistant Nathan Becker and Adjunct Faculty Ted Reynolds, for helping prepare them for the competition.

“UCF provided us with opportunities to debate and challenge ideas without prejudice,” Wisley says. “Our professors taught us to question assumptions while giving us the knowledge needed to tackle complex topics like this.”

Presenting their strategy to a panel of intelligence scholars and national security leaders was both intimidating and rewarding.

“Presenting to actual national security leaders was definitely challenging,” Fernandez says. “You want to make sure your strategy is well researched and stands up to scrutiny. It pushed us to think critically about every recommendation we made.”

When the team was announced as the winner, the result came as a surprise.

“Winning first place was a shock,” Fernandez says. “We were competing against intelligence colleges, war colleges and even a military college from Poland. It proved that you never know what you can accomplish until you try.”

For Betz, the victory represented the dedication and effort each team member invested throughout the process.

“It means the world to me that the talented and hardworking individuals on my team were rewarded for all their work,” Betz says. “Without every one of them, we would not have won.”

After coaching his team to victory, Dolan hopes his students will carry the lessons learned from the competition to their future careers.

“I hope this experience gives them confidence in their abilities and reinforces the value of engaging with national security professionals,” he says.

The students hope their success encourages other Knights to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom.

“Take every opportunity you can get,” Fernandez says. “Research deeply, develop your public speaking skills and challenge yourself. You never know where it will lead.”