Partnerships

This year marked a new chapter in The Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW)’s journey as we introduced a program for members to become community sponsors for the International Fellows Program at the National Defense University (NDU).

The International Fellows (IFs) are a distinguished group of approximately 130 senior military officers from over 80 countries. They reside in the U.S. for a year, from June to June, immersing themselves in the American way of life while working on a Master's Degree at one of NDU’s five colleges.

This initiative aims to build strong relationships and foster a deeper understanding of America, its people, institutions, and values. NDU manages the logistics and housing for the IFs; sponsors play a pivotal role in helping the students and their families acclimate and make the most of their time in the US.

Community sponsors do not incur any financial obligations with this program. However, the expectation is that they will meet with their IF's once a month for the full year. This is a fantastic opportunity to build new friendships and share our culture. 

As a community sponsor, you can participate in various festivals and events offered by NDU, starting with a summer mixer on the NDU campus in July. This year, many IF's met their sponsors in person for the first time that day, while others had already been in touch with invitations to National's games, concerts at the Kennedy Center, and 4^th of July BBQs.

If you’re interested in becoming a community sponsor for an International Fellow at the National Defense University, please use our contact form.