“No Drones in Ohio. No Drones in Ohio. No Drones in Ohio.”
The protest chant “no drones in Ohio” rang through the Fawcett Center October 24-25, 2025, during the biennial National Security Simulation (“Sim”) presented by the Mershon Center for International Security Studies.
“As an intense microcosm of the real-life conditions of public service,” said Dorothy Noyes, Mershon Center Director and Arts & Sciences Distinguished Professor of English, “the Sim offers opportunities for reflection and critical thinking as well as practical learning.”
Led by Dakota Rudesill, Sim Director and Associate Professor at the Moritz College of Law, the Sim was two full days of role-play where players staff top levels in all three branches of the federal government, state government, local government, the press corps, and a Fortune 500 company in Ohio. Through immersive role-play, realistic intelligence, and media injects, players used problem-solving and process to respond to international and domestic security scenarios in real time.
"Just like in the real world, in the Simulation there is never just one thing happening,” said Rudesill. “We usually have about three primary scenarios, and a dozen or so lesser connected ones. This year, North Korea put a missile on the pad with an unusual and unknown payload, great power tensions heated up in the South China Sea, cyberattacks zoomed through computer networks, and legislation was being drafted in Congress on the Insurrection Act, regulating AI, tariffs, and other issues. Among other things."
The Sim involves more than 250 participants. A Control and Game Team of volunteers drawn from business and public service work through the summer alongside Ohio State faculty and the Mershon staff to create Sim scenarios and set up its logistics. Distinguished real-life practitioners also volunteer their time to play the lead roles and mentor their student staffers: among them were former federal and state legislators from both parties, three retired ambassadors, Ohio business leaders, a federal judge, nationally known journalists, and six stars' worth of retired generals. One of several Ohio State alumni participating was Distinguished Graduate Mike McCord, twice-confirmed Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller), who played SecDef in the Sim and gave the keynote address. This year the Sim welcomed players from the Australian embassy in DC and the University of Belgrade, affording students realistic experiences in diplomatic negotiation.
Students play the staffers, clerks, legal and policy advisors, communications specialists, and journalists whose professionalism sustains American institutions. Student players come from across Ohio State's colleges of Law, Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering, FAES, and more. This year we welcomed a first-time contingent from the Institute for Cybersecurity & Digital Trust. Ohio State students were joined by student delegations from Otterbein University, University of Dayton, Ohio University, The Pennsylvania State University, Ohio Northern University, and Indiana University, with their advisors.
"The Simulation is a bridge from the classroom where we typically learn within single departments or professional fields, to the real world, where our graduates in both the private and public sectors will encounter complex, dynamic, multi-institution, multi-process, multi-profession decision-making, led by senior leaders will lots of grey hair who are moving a hundred miles an hour,” said Rudesill. “I recall so well from my twenty’s how intimidating that new work environment can feel. I designed the Simulation to enable our young people to experience that for the first time, build their professional skills in an academic exercise, grapple with some really fun and realistic scenarios, and get to work elbow-to-elbow with U.S. Ambassadors and generals and corporate executives. The Simulation is a blast."
Student players from the 2025 Sim agreed with Professor Rudesill. Of the student players that completed the post-event survey, 100% indicated that they were Satisfied (completely, moderately, or slightly) with their Sim experience.
Here’s some of their anonymous feedback:
- “The level of professionalism and communication felt like the real world, not like a classroom experience.”
- “I enjoyed the fast-paced environment that provided both strong, consistent feedback in-role and an amazing ability to continue to improve upon your skills.”
“I worked with Senator Heitkamp on the first day of the Sim, and that whole day was very rewarding and impactful. Having led a Minority Caucus in real life, Mr. Heitkamp had the staff and Senators effectively working as a unit from the time we finished the opening briefing.”
Both practitioner and student players also expressed their appreciation for the Sim on social media. Sabrina Estavez, an Ohio State international studies and political science student, who played the role of a policy advisor to the ranking member of the Senate National Security Committee wrote on LinkedIn:
“The entire weekend not only sharpened my skills under pressure and time constraints but affirmed my decision to pursue work in international affairs and policy.”