# 50th AMP Holds Convocation Ceremony

/ Published Jan. 8, 2015

On Thursday, January 8, 2015, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) National Defense University Information Resources Management College (NDU iCollege) held an informal convocation ceremony to welcome its 50th Advanced Management Program (AMP) class.  AMP50 students will complete a 14-week, highly-interactive resident educational experience at the NDU campus on Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, DC.  The AMP is the iCollege’s flagship resident program for rising senior-level managers and leaders responsible for promoting and attaining national and international security goals through the strategic use of cyber (information and information technology). After an opening introduction by AMP Director Russell Quirici, the iCollege Chancellor, Jan Hamby, RADM (Ret.), USN, welcomed the new AMP students and congratulated them on being the program’s 50th class.  The inaugural AMP class – AMP1 - began studies at NDU in the fall of 1990.  

During today’s ceremony, Chancellor Hamby stated that “this AMP seminar reaches around the world, with students from several U.S. government agencies and five countries."  She also discussed expectations for the students to challenge some of their closely-held leadership positions during the next 14 weeks and be willing to form new strategies from what they learn at NDU.  She identified AMP50 as an “opportunity like no other for creativity, reflection, networking, and a chance to grow professionally.”   The new AMP class was then tasked to answer a series of strategic questions and report back to classmates and faculty members after a brief luncheon.       

The 18 students in AMP50 include five international students from Oman, South Korea, Philippines, Morocco, and Ukraine. Other students come from several DoD components, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of State, and the Department of Energy.  This cohort will graduate in April 2015 with an AMP diploma and the college’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) graduate certificate.  Students who wish to use their iCollege graduate credits can move forward into the college’s Master’s Degree or transfer graduate credits into one of nearly 40 partner universities across the United States.  The AMP’s student-centered educational experience emphasizes leadership skills and abilities and includes “day in the woods” teambuilding, visits from several guest speakers, domestic field studies, and of course, many hours of class work and discussion. AMP students form a cohort learning community, led by faculty experts, that fosters multiple perspectives on a wide range of issues.  The NDU iCollege accepts DoD, federal agency, private sector, and international students into the AMP as well as into its various certificate programs and its Master of Science Degree in Government Information Leadership.  Check the college’s website for more information on its programs:  **http://icollege.ndu.edu** .  The next AMP session – AMP51 – is scheduled for September 14 - December 18, 2015, with an application due date of July 1, 2015.  AMP Director Russ Quirici can be contacted at **Russell.Quirici@ndu.edu** with any questions of for more information.  The iCollege Office of Student Services (OSS) can be contacted at **iCollegeOSS@ndu.edu** or at 202-685-6300.