Former CIA Director John Brennan joined Professor Paul Debole’s American Government 101 class on Tuesday October 4th for an enlightening discussion on a myriad of topics.

The former Director started off by expressing how excited he was to meet with the next generation of leaders and how he truly enjoys speaking with college students interested in government.

When speaking with this group of students, Brennan was reminded of his days in college at Fordham University and how much the world has changed over the past 45 years.

In his opening address, he spoke openly about the current war in Ukraine and about the CIA’s role in how the United States deals with North Korea and China.

After 20 minutes the floor was open to questions. For more than an hour, the former Director took questions from students on a number of topics including how to get hired by the CIA and the role of a Sr. Intelligence Official vs. that of a Sr. Policy Official.

Mr. Brennan encouraged the more than 40 students who attended (in person and via zoom) to “...ask any question you want and please be critical. I spent 35 years in Washington, DC so I've got thick skin."

The former Director stressed the importance of teamwork and technical proficiency for those interested in joining the CIA and encouraged students to “take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way.”

Mr. Brennan was very complimentary of Lasell and the kind of student that graduates from the University. He even gave a special shout out to the Fashion Program as one of, “the top programs of its kind anywhere in the country.”