Chanticleer Intelligence Brief Officer Tessa Bentley, who served the organization in a variety of roles, including as Executive Director for two years, has been named Coastal Carolina University’s Distinguished Undergraduate Student for 2025. She has also been named Outstanding Undergraduate Student for the Edwards and Gupta Colleges, as well as for the Departments of Intelligence and Security Studies and Psychology.

Tessa came to CCU from Tennessee and joined the CIB in her freshman semester in August of 2021. As a member of the Middle East Desk, she eventually rose to the role of Senior Analyst and joined the CIB’s Applied Intelligence Project. In April 2022, Tessa was elected to the CIB’s Executive Team, which she served beginning in August of that year. In April 2023, the CIB membership voted Tessa to the post of Executive Officer, which she held for two years, after being voted director again in the spring of 2024.

Presented by the Office of the Provost, the Distinguished Undergraduate Student award is the highest recognition for an undergraduate student at CCU. It is awarded following a competitive process, with each CCU college fielding a candidate for the distinction. Speaking about Tessa’s recognition, CIB Faculty Mentor Dr. Joseph Fitsanakis praised her “unwavering dedication to mentoring her fellow students” and exalted her leadership skills: “Tessa has been the epitome of a CIB leader,” said Fitsanakis; “her leadership of the organization uplifted, not just our Executive Team, but the CIB’s entire membership into new heights of professionalism and commitment to growth.”

“I joined CIB the first semester of my freshman year, and it was how I met people and was first exposed to intelligence and security studies at CCU,” Tessa says of her CIB experience at CCU. “I met students who were older than me who guided me and ultimately inspired me to do the same for other students as I got older. The CIB was also a great place to be surrounded by people with similar interests. Things that may be nerdy or strange to be excited about to other people are common in CIB without judgment. It is where I met some of my closest friends, and I think the organization did a lot to positively influence my four years at CCU.”

When asked to offer advice to incoming CIB members, Tessa said: “My greatest piece of advice is to never count yourself out. Even if applying for a position or asking for a contact seems like a long shot, always put yourself out there because the worst that can happen is they say no. Essentially, you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. It also helps you gain confidence because you have to be able to bounce back from rejection which is going to be a constant in this field and in life.”

Tessa will continue her studies in South Africa, having been awarded the prestigious Boren Scholarship by the United States Defense Language and National Security Education Office. The award is designed to support students in the acquisition of language skills and experience in countries critical to the security and stability of the United States.