General Paul Nakasone to deliver McCarthy Lecture in October at SJU

COLLEGEVILLE ― Gen. Paul Nakasone, a 1986 Saint John’s University graduate, will present the 2022 Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, located on the St. John's University campus.

Nakasone will address the roles U.S. Cyber Command and the NSA play in securing the 2022 midterm elections and other cyber-security threats. The announcement comes around the same time that St. Cloud State University received its re-designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense through 2027 from an NSA program.

The four-star general, raised in White Bear Lake, assumed his role as director of the NSA in 2018.

Nakasone has held command and staff positions across all levels of the Army with assignments in the U.S., South Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan. Prior to assuming his present duties, Nakasone served as Chief of U.S. Army Cyber Command from October 2016 through April 2018.

Last year, Nakasone testified to the house armed services subcommittee on intelligence and special operations entitled, "FY22 Defense Intelligence Enterprise Posture Hearing".

Nakasone is an SJU graduate with a B.A. degree in economics. He also attended the University of Southern California, the National Defense Intelligence College and the United States Army War College, earning an M.A. from each institution

A press release sent by CSB and SJU stated that Nakasone "has been a very active SJU alumnus, often hosting alumni and programs with the D.C. alumni chapter. In addition, during COVID, he commissioned two ROTC graduating classes, delivered the 2021 Saint John’s commencement address, received an honorary doctorate degree and was the recipient of an Alumni Achievement Award from SJU in 2016."

The McCarthy lecture is an annual event where a well-known speaker is invited to speak to students, staff and faculty. Past lecturers include Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Tina Smith, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and others. The purpose of the annual event, according to the universities, is to "inspire a new generation of young people to pursue fresh ideas, to challenge the status quo, to effect positive change in their communities and, like [Sen. Eugene] McCarthy himself, lead with honesty, integrity and courage."

The lecture, sponsored by the Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement, is free and open to the public. Registration and identification are required for this event at the universities' website.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: General Paul Nakasone to deliver McCarthy Lecture in October at SJU