By KAREN GUTKE
Karen@newsroom.byu.edu
Internships and employment with the Central Intelligence Agency are available for BYU students, said a recruiter from the CIA during a visited to BYU Tuesday.
'We offer full-time positions and internships in all of the areas but Operations. I encourage anyone who is interested to apply,' said Michael J. Mau, the visiting recruiter and college relations manager for the CIA.
The CIA is looking for people who have backgrounds in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, international relations, accounting, finance, and Asian, Slavic and Middle Eastern languages, Mau said.
'We are looking for people who are self-motivated and self-disciplined. People who are willing to work within a team to solve problems,' Mau said.
CIA representatives were recruiting at a booth in the Wilkinson Student Center.
'The agency recruits BYU students because of their historic success here, but also because BYU is one of the best schools academically. The students seem a bit more mature here. It is probably because they have had two years of experience on their missions,' Mau said.
Interns are expected to work 90 calendar days and should apply at least nine months in advance. The minimum grade point average for acceptance to all the student programs is 2.75, but at least a 3.0 is preferred. United States citizenship is also required.
The CIA was created after World War II in 1947 when President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act. The CIA assists the President, National Security Council and other U.S. policymakers by collecting, evaluating and producing finished reports on foreign intelligence policies, according to the CIA's home page.
The agency operates on many different levels. The Science and Technology Directorate develops new technologies and provides technical services for national security. The Directorate of Operations sends employees overseas to recruit and maintain intelligence networks and report their findings. The Directorate of Intelligence analyzes the information and sends reports to the nations top policy makers, while Directorate of Administration provides all the other areas with healthcare, training, and financial training.