How this Bear built a career in national security

Missouri State Magazine · Jul 7, 2026

Ian Platz has a thriving career in defense and antiterrorism initiatives. He says it wouldn’t have happened without a unique Missouri State school and an internship facilitated by a faculty member.

At 2 a.m. one night in February 2024, Ian Platz was in his hotel room in Ukraine when his phone alerted him to suspected drone and rocket strikes from the Russian military.

Jumping up from his bed in the darkness, he grabbed his two most important items: his American passport and a faded maroon tote, with the letters peeling off and a faint outline of a bear. It was from the Missouri State…