Graduate Fellows

The Rumsfeld Foundation hosted its 13^th Annual Graduate Fellowship Network Conference in Washington, D.C. on September 18^th–19^th, 2025. As the flagship event of the Foundation’s Fellowship Program, the conference brought together network members from across the country, including current 2025 Graduate Fellows, program alumni and Advisers.

As part of our Graduate Fellowship Program, the Foundation established the Alumni of the Year Award in 2022. The Award recognizes an alum who has demonstrated a commitment to public service, benefited the public good, and personifies the leadership qualities that the Rumsfelds hoped to encourage through the Fellowship's efforts. 

Washington, D.C. - The Rumsfeld Foundation is pleased to announce the selection of its 2025 Graduate Fellows.

Washington, D.C. – On Saturday, May 3^rd the Rumsfeld Foundation welcomed members of its Graduate Fellowship Network to Annapolis, Maryland for its annual Spring Retreat which included a full day of keynote speakers and interviews, roundtable discussions, networking opportunities and more.

For this post in our Service Series, we were pleased to interview Sheriff Almakki, one of our 2023 Graduate Fellows, who recently joined the U.S. State Department as a newly minted Foreign Affairs Officer. We asked Sheriff to reflect on his journey to public service, including his graduate education at the University of Michigan, his longtime interest in refugee affairs, and the impact of his experience within our Graduate Fellowship Network on his professional development. 

This fall, the Foundation was pleased to recognize an alumna who has exhibited extraordinary intellectual ability, integrity, and leadership in public service. We were delighted to award the 2024 Alumna of the Year Award to Dr. Meg Reiss.

Washington, D.C. – The Rumsfeld Foundation hosted its 12^th annual Graduate Fellowship Conference in Washington, D.C. on September 12^th-13^th. As the Fellowship Program’s flagship event, the conference assembles its network from across the country including current 2024 Graduate Fellows, Fellowship alumni and program Advisers.

This spring, a partner entity of the Rumsfeld Foundation, The Institute of World Politics (IWP), hosted a reception honoring its founder, Dr. John Lenczowski, for his far-reaching impact across IWP’s community and his distinguished career in public service. The Foundation has been fortunate to benefit from Dr. Lenczowski’s dedicated service as an Adviser to our Graduate Fellowship Program for more than a decade and, throughout that time, to have supported 13 impressive IWP graduate scholars who are committed to public service. 

Washington, D.C. - The Rumsfeld Foundation is pleased to announce the selection of its 2024 Graduate Fellows.

Washington, D.C. – On Saturday, May 4^th the Rumsfeld Foundation convened members of its Graduate Fellowship Network for the Foundation’s annual Spring Retreat in Annapolis, Maryland.