Students in Liberty’s LASI program brief NATO representatives in Romania

Since 2021, the Liberty University Analytical Support Initiative has supported agencies like the FBI, Department of Defense, and NATO by conducting a wide variety of research projects concerning international relations and national security, from terrorist threat assessments to immigration policy, and infrastructure.

In December, a team of 11 students traveled to Romania to brief leadership at the NATO HUMINT Centre of Excellence, a branch responsible for strengthening human intelligence capabilities across the alliance through research, training, and best practices. The HUMINT CoE is one of many centers within NATO that study various topics, then train and inform the broader NATO organization about operational precepts.

The group studied throughout the Fall 2025 semester, looking at ways NATO representatives can enhance cross-cultural engagement for a multitude of security-related purposes before presenting their findings in person, only a few days after final exams. (The details of each LASI project are kept strictly confidential.)

LASI is sponsored by the Helms School of Government and involves students from a wide range of academic programs. It’s not uncommon for these students to receive letters of commendation from their high-profile clients.

“LASI is one of the most rewarding experiences students can have,” said Grace Vogl, an MBA student who was on the trip. “I’m grateful Liberty offers this opportunity. It’s highly interdisciplinary, allowing students to connect across fields, collaborate as a team, and present research and recommendations that clients can directly apply.”

The team left on Dec. 12, and it spent five days total overseas, returning Dec. 18. Students first flew to Vienna, Austria, before taking a train to Budapest, Hungary. From there, the team was transported to Oradea, Romania, by NATO personnel.

The 11 students presented their research on Dec. 15-16. Following the professional engagements, the group participated in cultural tours of Oradea, Romania, gaining exposure to the region’s rich Transylvanian history while learning about the hardships inflicted by Communism during the Cold War. The team experienced a vibrant Romanian Christmas festival, interacted with locals, visited historic sites and cathedrals, and enjoyed traditional food and music.

“Spending time in Austria, Romania, and Hungary brought to life the realities of European geopolitics that we discuss in class and the importance of partnerships between NATO members to confront large-scale threats,” said senior government student Michael Haak.

“Romania, and a lot of Europe, has a remarkable history that you can see in the architecture, food, art, and culture at large,” said graduate psychology student Elizabeth Mathews. “I particularly enjoyed seeing some of the cathedrals, churches, and old buildings that we saw on our tour, they were simply stunning. Also, Romania has had a unique role in Jewish history, so we learned a little about that as well.”

LASI’s organizer, Associate Professor of Government Scott Roenicke, said the extracurricular venture is a unique way to gain both hands-on experience and real-world impact. He said many of the students had opportunities to get to know NATO officers and learn about their careers.

“Cross-functional teams are how we solve problems in the government,” said Roenicke, who came to Liberty in 2021 after a robust 30-year career at the Pentagon. “LASI can equip students with experience in areas we otherwise couldn’t replicate in an academic environment. All glory to God for what He created here.”

Roenicke previously served as a national policy and strategy advisor to the Department of Defense, supporting the eight chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as Senior Politico-Military Advisor for Russian Affairs. He currently teaches courses on terrorism, international relations, national security, and more within the Helms School of Government.

He said the program is taking on more clients as it continues to grow. With four unique teams a part of LASI, the program will expand to serve new clients like the Department of Homeland Security and other high-profile government agencies.

“Largely, we’ve relied on the Lord to get us clients and personnel, and now it’s grown to where we’ve supported the Office of the Secretary of War, the US intelligence community, the National Security Agency, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, NATO, Customs and Border Patrol, as well as another several NATO clients waiting in the wings,” Roenicke said. “It truly is God pulling this together for His own glory, and every single LASI student team has knocked it out of the park. They’ve done exceedingly well.”

Participants of the Romania trip included psychology, business, cybersecurity, government, and communications students. The team has strived to place God at the center of their work.

“Professor Roenicke is very clear that all of this is a Holy Spirit-driven initiative,” said Mathews. “Liberty has a mission to Train Champions for Christ, and that isn’t just in the classroom. We are supposed to go out, not just in a ministry or missions setting, but in government settings.”

“It’s a privilege to serve the Lord in this capacity, and I’m proud to be affiliated with the students of the LASI program,” Roenicke said. “We are constantly looking for new talent. These projects really lend themselves to incredible interdisciplinary collaboration that you couldn’t get anywhere else.”