Over the past nine months, 20 outstanding young professionals from congressional offices, think tanks, nonprofits and news outlets participated in the 2024-25 Woodhouse Public Policy Fellowship.
United by a shared commitment to improving public policy, they engaged in rigorous discussions and debates, exploring post-war conservative and fusionist thought. Guided by the central question, “What is Conservatism?” Fellows examined the ideas of F.A. Hayek, Russell Kirk and Frank Meyer under the mentorship of distinguished scholars from leading universities and think tanks across the country.
During their fall retreat to the Russell Kirk Center in Mecosta, Michigan, Fellows examined the roots of the American order as the foundation for a renewed Fusionism. Their exploration continued with monthly sessions that delved deeper foundational conservative texts and ongoing debates over freedom, virtue, and the public good.
Distinguished guest speakers including TFAS senior scholar Dr. Donald Devine; Matt Continetti, Novak ’08, of the American Enterprise Institute; Stephanie Slade, Novak ’16, of Reason and Samuel Gregg of the American Institute for Economic Research led thought-provoking discussions. These sessions guided Fellows through the political thought of William F. Buckley Jr., Frank Meyer’s defense of freedom and Wilhelm Röpke’s “The Humane Economy.”
In February, the Fellows participated in a spring retreat in historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where they explored the enduring relevance of The Federalist and Anti-Federalist Papers in spirited sessions with Dr. Jeff Polet of the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation and Dr. Gary Gregg, director of the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville.
Cate Gangemi ’25, academic programs associate at the American Enterprise Institute, expressed how the Woodhouse Fellowship serves not only to foster intellectual growth but also to build a vibrant community rooted in shared values and civic friendship.
“Institutions like TFAS exist not simply to cultivate atomized excellence, but to convene people because it is only through community that our principles are sustained,” said Gangemi. “The community that’s been created here has been a masterclass not only in intellectual vitality, but in civic friendship.”
The Fellows leave the Woodhouse Fellowship with a deeper understanding of the conservative intellectual tradition and how it applies to today’s policy challenges. They also depart with lasting friendships, meaningful professional connections and a fresh perspective to help shape the future of public policy.
The meaningful learning and connections fostered through the Woodhouse Fellowship are only possible thanks to the generous support of TFAS donors—particularly Marilyn Woodhouse, who endowed the fellowship to equip emerging public policy leaders with a robust education in post-WWII conservative thought and a network of thoughtful peers and mentors.
“The Woodhouse Fellowship provides an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the enduring questions of conservatism through reading seminal texts and learning from first-rate scholars,” said Ryan Wolfe, director of the Center for Excellence in Journalism. “This one-of-a-kind experience would not be possible without the generosity of Mrs. Woodhouse, the Pope Foundation, and dedicated TFAS supporters committed to investing in the next generation of principled conservative leaders.”
TFAS is currently recruiting for the next class of Woodhouse Public Policy Fellows. To learn more about the program or apply to the 2025-26 cohort, visit TFAS.org/PPF. The deadline to apply is June 15, 2025.