Gibson Joins National Security Advisory Board

Dr. Tobias Gibson, a political science professor at Westminster College, has been named to serve on the Advisory Board of Omicron Sigma Sigma (OSS), the Order of the Sword & Shield National Honor Society.

OSS is the first and only academic and professional honor society dedicated exclusively to homeland security, intelligence, emergency management and all protective security disciplines.

Its mission is to promote critical thinking, high scholarship and professional development; to further enhance the ethical standards of the protective security professions; and to cultivate a high order of personal living.

“Serving on the Advisory Board for the Order of the Sword and Shield National Honor Society is a great honor,” says Dr. Gibson.  “Assuming the position alongside many of the most well regarded Homeland Security educators in the nation is humbling.  I hope that I can help OSS recognize talented students nationally, assist them professionally and help this nation remain secure.”

Established in 2010 on the campuses of St. John’s University in New York, OSS inducted its first members in 2011.

While a few honor societies had expanded their scope to include homeland security as a secondary discipline, the founders of OSS wanted to form a society where the specific focus was on homeland security as a dedicated discipline.

The founders also wanted to create an organization that would not only allow the best and brightest students of homeland security unite but also make giving back to their communities through service a key component of the Society. OSS is strongly committed to helping communities prepare for safety and emergency conditions and sponsors many types of informational events throughout the year.

The motto of the Society is ex scientia pax, which means “out of knowledge comes peace.”

With 24 collegiate chapters, 3 professional chapters and a national chapter, OSS has inducted superior students from over fifty colleges and universities across the country.

“The homeland security community embraced us right from the beginning,” says Dr. Jeffrey P. Grossman, Founding Director and current Executive National Director of the Society.  “It is apparent that the key to our success thus far has been the overwhelming interest in becoming involved with the Society, from our Virtual Internship Program, Student Ambassador Program and the many faculty members who have volunteered to be Chapter Coordinators at our chapter schools.”