Staff reports

ANDERSON — Former director of the CIA John Brennan is scheduled to speak at an open forum at Anderson University from 7 to 8:30 p.m. today, Thursday, Jan. 18.

He is set to talk at York Performance Hall following a meeting with Anderson University students majoring in national security studies.

The forum is free and open to the public.

Brennan served as director of CIA from 2013 to 2017 and assistant to the president for Homeland Security.

During his first stint at the CIA (1980-2005), he was the daily intelligence briefer to President Clinton, chief of station in the Middle East, deputy executive director and first director of the National Counter- terrorism Center.

Brennan has a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

He also studied at the American University in Cairo (1975-76).

“We are looking forward to hearing about Brennan’s experiences in the CIA and in the fields of national security and cybersecurity,” AU President John S. Pistole wrote in a press release about the visit. “His time on campus will be a valuable opportunity for all of us to learn, and to further educate our students for a life of faith and service.”

Anderson University’s National Security Studies Fellows arranged the visit. It aims to connects students to professionals with current or recent experience in national security.

Past speakers include Robert Mueller, former director of the FBI; and Eric Holder, former U.S. attorney general.

Later this semester, the Fellows will play host to Matt Olsen, former director of National Counterterrorism (2011-14) on Feb. 14 and James Clapper, former director of National Intelligence (2010-17), on March 28.