Opportunity to Attend the 2023 Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference (NAFAC) April 11-13

The 63rd annual Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conference (NAFAC) will be held in Annapolis, MD, April 11-13, 2023. NAFAC is one of America's leading foreign affairs conferences for undergraduate students to discuss pressing global issues and gives attendees--Midshipmen, young officers, and civilian delegates from about two dozen countries, the opportunity to engage with subject matter experts and develop a sophisticated understanding of current affairs. The experience also serves to develop lasting civil-military relationships among future leaders in the armed forces, government, and private sector.

The Conference's theme this year is “Democracies Divided: The Proliferation of Polarization." Participants will explore how authoritarian states seek to weaponize modern constructs against democratic states, and how democracies around the world are seeking to heal their internal and external divisions in order to promote stability in the international community. Distinguished speakers will include Iván Duque Márquez, former President of the Republic of Colombia, Dr. Nolan McCarty, Professor and Vice Dean at Princeton University School of Public and International Affairs, and Michelle S. Giuda, former Acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.

More information about the conference, please visit the NAFAC website.

If you would like to apply to be UMD's delegate to this conference, please submit the following application materials to GVPT advisor Breana Dinh (bdinh@umd.edu) by Wednesday, February 15, 2023:

1. Cover letter (1 page max) describing your academic goals/interests and how they relate to the topic of the conference, as well as why you wish to attend the conference. Please include your UID.
2. Resume
3. A copy of your unofficial transcript
4. A writing sample (3-5 pages, preferably related to the conference theme)
*Please name attached doc/pdf files with your last name, first name and type (cover letter, resume, unofficial transcript, writing sample). For example, "Last name, First name Cover Letter"

Top candidates will be invited to a 30-minutes interview between Feb 17-21.

Conference registration fee, meals, and lodging are provided. If selected, the student delegate will be responsible for securing transportation to Annapolis (typically car or train), however, GVPT will reimburse for transportation expenses and any meals not covered by NAFAC. Please note in your cover letter your tentative transportation plans.