Miguel Angel Ibarra is a native of El Paso, Texas. He
graduated from Cathedral High School (Class of 2006) in
the Top Ten Percent and with membership in five honor
societies – the National Honor Society, French Honor
Society, Spanish Honor Society, Art Honor Society, and the
Quill & Scroll Honor Society for his work in Journalism. He
balanced his studies by working as a lifeguard and aquatic
instructor at the Young Men’s Christian Association in
central El Paso. In addition, he was involved in community
service organizations and worked for the Diocesan Migrant
& Refugee Services, Inc. teaching citizenship classes, built
houses for the needy by participating in Casas Por Cristo,
and volunteered at the Rescue Mission of El Paso.
He enrolled subsequently at the University of Texas at
Austin (Class of 2011) and earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, a Bachelor
of Arts in Government, and an Undergraduate Certificate in Business Foundations. During his
time at UT, he continued the legacy of service by participating in projects under three honor
societies – Alpha Lambda Delta, Phi Eta Sigma, and Pi Sigma Alpha – and various student
organizations, including the Pi Sigma Pi Minority Academic Engineering Society, the Society of
Hispanic Professional Engineers, and Habitat for Humanity. During his time at UT, he also
gained extensive research experience as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and presented his findings
at multiple venues across the nation, most notably at the 19th National McNair Research
Conference held in Delevan, WI. Mr. Ibarra was also an integral part of the UT chapter of the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Political Science Association,
and the Project on Middle East Democracy. Some of the fondest recollections he has of his time
at UT are the friendships he cultivated, the professors he studied under, and the study abroad
program he did in France which allowed him to complete multiple externships at various
European aerospace corporations, including Airbus and Eurocopter.
When asked about his career goals, Mr. Ibarra responded, “In order to achieve my academic and
professional goals, I must learn about the structure and functions of the Intelligence Community
and the strategies that emanate from its constituent agencies and departments. My ultimate career
direction is to assume a position in the U.S. Government and emerge as a leading professional in
the security sector capable of analyzing and assessing intelligence that will protect the citizenry
and defend American interests both domestically and abroad.” When asked why he chose UTEP,
he replied, “It was in my utmost interest to further my education at the University of Texas at El
Paso as I heartily value the rigor and strength of the Intelligence and National Security Studies
curriculum and admire the respect its faculty commands. Qualifying myself with a degree from
UTEP will enable me to pursue my passion and perform exceptional service to the country. I feel
strongly that UTEP’s location, across the border from one of the most precarious cities in the
world, enables me to appreciate the curricular instruction much more than if I attended any other
academic institution.”
Mr. Ibarra is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Intelligence and National Security Studies
with a concentration in Geographic Information Systems and is one of the founding members,
and current Vice President, of the Students in Intelligence and National Security organization at
UTEP. Mr. Ibarra has recently earned the prestigious National Military Intelligence Foundation
Scholarship from the National Military Intelligence Association, and the U.S. Army
Counterintelligence Agent, Staff Sgt. Richard S. Eaton Jr., Scholarship from the Lint Center for
National Security Studies, Inc. He has also earned the distinction of being named an Intelligence
Community Center of Academic Excellence Scholar at UTEP and has been nominated to attend
the distinguished National Security Analysis and Intelligence Summer Seminar hosted by the
Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Mr. Ibarra works currently as a Research
Assistant for the International Association for Intelligence Education under the supervision of Dr.
Larry Valero, an Associate Professor of Security Studies at UTEP, and has been selected to
intern at the Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General. Mr. Ibarra
wants to develop a successful future critically examining international affairs, researching
contemporary science, and applying it to the needs of the national security enterprise. Mr. Ibarra
concluded, “In a world where technology is one of the dominant means of progress, it is a great
advantage for society to have professionals versed in both the technical and non-technical fields.”
“I hereby give my authorization, permission and consent to the Lint Center for National Security
Studies, Inc. to use, disclose, release and/or publish my name, photo and any or all other
information, which I have provided. Additionally, I give specific release of my essay for
publishing on the website of the Lint Center for National Security Studies, Inc.”