Ryan BrennanThe only way I could describe spending this past Spring 2026 with The Institute of World Politics as a Civic Thought and Statecraft (CTS) Fellow is utterly transformative. Having a theoretical, scholarly understanding of foreign policy and national security is leagues removed from the realities of these fields, and IWP bridges that very gap to empower shrewd statecraft in its students.
One of the several professional development fireside chats our program had the privilege of attending was with Jesse Levin, Executive Director of DEF and Founder of Tactivate, who has extensive development experience in Latin America. As an aspiring international relations professional with ties to and an enduring interest in Latin American development and security myself, it was great to hear from professionals like Jesse Levin. It was incredibly rewarding to speak with Mr. Levin after the talk about his own views and professional background in the region, what is most needed right now, and entry points into the field of development.
Alongside the many other conversations we were privy to as a program, the fireside chats alone speak for the access that the Institute offers. I urge future cohorts to pursue the connections the Institute is providing for you… follow up!
As a CTS fellow, I attended a weekly seminar with one of IWP’s very own, Dr. Tim McCranor, where we closely read Machiavelli’s The Prince and situated the work among other thinkers, as well as contemporary national security issues. Alongside taking the Institute’s 615 course in Western Moral and Political Thought, also taught by Dr. McCranor, we examined the American Founding’s philosophical heritage to understand modern international relations thought and global affairs more broadly. The class’s weekly reading resources are invaluable (download them!) and refreshed me on the foundations of a system that can always benefit from change, and change requires understanding.
In a similar vein, IWP has a library full of resources; particularly, a section full of Foreign Officer Test study materials, which was something I was more than eager to delve into and take full advantage of while a fellow.
Every week began with one of the most rewarding aspects of the program, and that was the delivery of researched policy and intelligence memorandums. My peers and I would deliver succinct synopses and policy recommendations on various complex geopolitical topics relevant to U.S. national security interests, take questions, and deepen our understanding of what constitutes actionable intelligence.
One week, I was able to deliver a policy memo briefing to an IWP doctoral student who not only gave me vital feedback on both my reporting and intelligence but also challenged me to envision possible developments on the international stage, which forced me to flex a new muscle for political foresight.
On the whole, I can quite safely say that I am walking out of this program with an infinitely richer understanding of viable methods of statecraft. In particular, I gained experience that will be helpful in national security work, and I learned about the possibilities for radical change made possible through diplomacy and compassionately driven policy making.
Ryan Brennan
American University, Class of 2025
Civic Thought and Statecraft Fellow