The National Defense Fellowship (NDF) is an intensive joint program run in partnership between the Alexander Hamilton Society and the Ronald Reagan Institute. The program aims to educate 20 advanced undergraduate and graduate students, and has two primary components: the Peace Through Strength Boot Camp (late September) and the Reagan National Defense Forum (early December). Fellows receive accommodations and meals throughout both parts of the program, as well as travel reimbursement.

Applications for this cycle are now closed.

Peace Through Strength Boot Camp

The first component of NDF is an intensive four-day boot camp in Washington, D.C. The program is a unique opportunity to learn from the nation’s foremost defense policy thought-leaders and practitioners and hear from distinguished senior leaders in the national security and military communities. Students will emerge with a strong fundamental understanding in defense affairs, covering specific topics such as: budgeting, strategy, civil-military relations, force structure, readiness, the industrial base, the future of warfare, and more. Students will also learn about the key actors and institutions involved in making defense policy.

Reagan National Defense Forum

The second component of NDF is attendance at the Reagan National Defense Forum, the nation’s premier gathering of defense professionals, held at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The conference is an unparalleled opportunity for students to not only hear from but also interact with defense policy leaders, such as Secretaries of Defense, Directors of CIA, Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Combatant Commanders, and industry executives. Students will leave the conference with an understanding of the forces shaping national security.

Reach out to Timothy Gunawan at timothy@hamsoc.org with questions or for additional information.

Fellows

2025 Fellows

Read their testimonials here

Elena Ashburn

University of Florida

Sally Brown

University of Florida

Marina Chernin

Georgetown University

Peter Constant Jr.

Jessup University

Katelyn Czajkowski

University of Connecticut

Benjamin Elkins

University of Pennsylvania

Robert Gioia

University of Michigan

Joshua Hansen

Harvard University

Tess Kesler

University of Notre Dame

Rania Kolluri

Northeastern University

Ben McDaniel

University of Georgia

Luke Miller

College of William and Mary

Thomas Nelligan

Harvard University

Alexander Richter

University of California, Berkeley

Isabella Santos

James Madison University

Charles Schell

Cornell University

Makena Tom

University of California, Berkeley

Noel Tumbasz

Kenyon College

Andrew Weaver

Columbia University

Darcy Weber

Bowdoin College