Meet Liberty Day, START’s Program Director for Education and Training, whose career reflects a deep commitment to public service and a passion for empowering others through learning. In this spotlight, she shares how her professional journey has been driven by a belief in the transformative power of knowledge, collaboration, and community-rooted solutions.
What inspired you to pursue a career in education and training, especially in security and terrorism studies?
I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of education and public service, and at the heart of my work is a desire to make a positive impact wherever I land. For me, education and training are powerful ways to serve others by equipping people with the skills and confidence to address complex challenges. In the field of security and terrorism studies, that means designing and supporting programs that can serve as catalysts for unity and healing—programs that help defuse anger, hate, and violence, while ultimately strengthening resilience.
How did your professional journey lead you to START, and what experiences shaped your path along the way?
My early career in community health and prevention showed me how transformative education and training can be when rooted in local strengths. Those experiences shaped my approach: empowering people to solve any number of problems from within their communities. When I joined START, I saw an opportunity to bring that same philosophy into the security and terrorism studies field. Over time, my role has expanded from training manager to overseeing the full education and training portfolio, where I focus on creating programs that bridge research with practice and foster meaningful student experiences.
Which principles guide your approach to your work?
Collaboration, integrity, and empowerment guide everything I do. As an administrator, I aim to build systems that remove barriers and give students, faculty, and partners the space to succeed. As an educator and trainer, I strive to design programs that meet learners where they are, while encouraging them to build on their existing strengths to create meaningful, community-focused solutions.
What emerging trends or evolving student needs have you noticed in the field of security and terrorism studies education?
Students want to connect classroom learning to real-world impact. I’ve seen a growing demand for experiential education including internships, simulations, and applied projects that allow them to see how security challenges are addressed in practice. They also want flexible pathways, like online and hybrid programs, to balance learning with their professional lives.
Do you have a favorite student or practitioner success story that stands out?
One that I’m especially proud of is when students in START’s Global Terrorism Studies minor won first prize in the national Invent2Prevent competition for their project infOasis, which built media literacy skills for college students. While I wasn’t their mentor, my job was to make programs like this administratively possible—handling the backend work that gives students the support and structure to innovate. Seeing them take that opportunity and design a creative solution to improving media literacy reinforced why I do this work: to empower others to succeed.
What’s your secret to fostering effective collaboration at START?
I focus on listening and creating structures that make collaboration easier. START brings together people with different expertise including faculty, staff, students, and external partners. My role is to make sure those collaborations have the resources, systems, and support they need to thrive. It’s about making space for people’s strengths to shine and aligning them toward shared goals.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love seeing both traditional and nontraditional students grow their knowledge and skills. Helping to build the systems that make those experiences possible is incredibly rewarding. I also enjoy the variety. Every day brings new challenges, new collaborations, and new opportunities to support students, professionals, and colleagues.
What are your goals or plans for the future?
I want to continue expanding START’s educational offerings, especially opportunities that connect students with applied, community-based learning. My long-term goal is to strengthen the bridge between education, research, and practice so that graduates leave with both the knowledge and the confidence to make positive impacts.
Outside of work, how do you like to spend your time and recharge?
I recharge by spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading, baking and going on local adventures with my kids. Those moments give me balance and a fresh perspective for my work.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone entering this field, what would it be?
Never underestimate the power of communities. Even in the face of global security challenges, the most effective solutions often begin locally. Stay curious, suspend judgement, seek common ground, listen well, be creative, and focus on empowering others—those skills will serve you no matter where your path takes you. And above all, when you encounter a problem, an injustice, or a challenge, strive to be part of the solution. Oh, and don't forget to have fun along the way.