Young Leaders Initiative

Young Leaders Initiative Class of 2018

The 2025 ACFR Young Leaders Initiative Conference
will take place
in Washington, DC,
28-31 May 2025

ACFR seeks to expand the involvement of students from across our constituent Committees, in furtherance of ACFR’s mission: Serving the national security interests of the U.S. through constructive face-to-face dialogue between citizens and foreign policy experts and other professionals.

In response to Member Committees’ express desire to increase their engagement with young people, ACFR started the Young Leaders Initiative in 2018.

The centerpiece of the ACFR Young Leaders Initiative (YLI) is our Young Leaders Program in Washington, DC, for university-level students chosen by the Member Committees. The Program generally occurs in the May-June period and features 15-20 Young Leaders. Policy practitioners, experts, and officials at U.S. government agencies and other foreign policy institutions meet the Young Leaders in interactive “conference table” briefing sessions and share expertise and insights. A network of Young Leaders will aid each other in their career interests and support the ACFR family of committees.

The ACFR Young Leaders Initiative is organized by Michele McManus. She can be reached at michele.mcmanus@acfr.org

Participants

General expectations for participants are that they are undergraduate or graduate university students who demonstrate high academic achievement, potential career interest in international affairs, and strong leadership qualities. The ACFR Local Committees nominate the Young Leaders and sponsor their participation.

Benefits

The benefits of this program have accrued both to the Young Leaders and to their sponsoring Committees. A number of Committees have featured their Young Leaders and/or have hosted some of the DC-based policy experts who have briefed our students. The Young Leaders themselves have published accounts in campus newspapers, taken on internships, made new contacts, provided a network for each other, and developed new perspectives from their experience. We look to continue garnering these benefits for the entire ACFR community.

Agenda (example)

• Department of State
  • Desk officer briefings
• US Institute of Peace
  • Conflict and resolution briefings
• Woodrow Wilson Center
  • Briefings with ambassadors and diplomats
• Heritage Foundation
  • Scholar briefings: foreign policy, cybersecurity, first principles, role of think tanks
• Trade and Development Briefings
  • Trade and development briefings; trade negotiation simulation
• Dinner with a Diplomat