Points of Contact
For more information on how to apply, please contact the appropriate point of contact listed below:
The Olmsted Foundation’s commitment to shaping future leaders reaches beyond young military officers to those preparing to enter active duty. The Olmsted Intern Program offers outstanding cadets and midshipmen at participating schools the opportunity to conduct field studies in foreign countries and gain exposure to the world. This broadening experience not only makes them better junior officers, it also serves to stimulate interest in applying to the Olmsted Scholar Program.
Just like the Olmsted Scholar Program, the Olmsted Intern Program is a highly sought-after leader development opportunity. For many Olmsted Interns, it is their first experience overseas. These field studies, typically one to three weeks in length, normally take place in non-English-speaking countries. Participants examine the historical, political, cultural, religious, and security landscapes of foreign countries to broaden their development as leaders. By confronting firsthand the role of U.S. foreign policy abroad, they gain understanding and perspectives no classroom can fully provide.
The Olmsted Foundation provides annual sustaining grants to each participating school. The schools develop itineraries, select participants, and execute the programs through their respective staffs and program offices. The Foundation encourages joint field studies among participating schools because those who travel together as cadets and midshipmen may one day serve together as officers.
Currently, the following schools participate in the Overseas Travel and Cultural Immersion Program:
For more information on how to apply, please contact the appropriate point of contact listed below:
The Olmsted Foundation also sponsors annual foreign affairs conferences at three of the nation’s Service Academies. These multi-day conferences offer Cadets, Midshipmen and their civilian counterparts the opportunity to hear presentations and engage in robust discussions with subject matter experts on a wide range of topics related to national and foreign affairs.
The Foundation sponsors the following Service Academy foreign affairs conferences:
In addition to its financial support, the Foundation offers the organizers of these conferences the participation of Olmsted Scholars whose recent or past experiences overseas may contribute significantly to a thoughtful discussion of issues related to those specific countries or regions, depending on the theme of each individual conference.
The Air Force Academy Assembly is held each March in Colorado Springs, CO.
The Academy Assembly is centered around student roundtable discussions led by experts on an annual theme. Participants also attend a keynote address and presentations from roundtable experts in their areas of expertise. Participants also have multiple opportunities to hear and learn from a diverse group of today’s national policy experts including scholars, senior government executives, theorists and practitioners.
The Naval Academy hosts its Foreign Affairs Conference every April in Annapolis, MD.
The conference brings together the nation’s future Navy and Marine Corps officers with peers from colleges and universities, both civilian and military, from across the country and around the world. NAFAC delegates are given the opportunity to engage in discussions, listen to renowned experts on conference issues, share their own personal views on world events, and learn more about the US Naval Academy, as well as the military services.
The Military Academy Student Conference on United States Affairs takes place every fall in West Point, NY.
SCUSA is a four-day conference focused on interaction and discussion between student delegates to better understand the intricacies and challenges faced by the United States in today’s world. This conference cultivates mutual understanding among future civilian and military leaders, making a significant contribution to the national security of the United States.