About the programme
The Rising Leaders Program, run by the Aspen Strategy Group, brings together early-career professionals to contribute to foreign policy debates and build leadership skills. Participants learn from senior decision-makers, attend the Aspen Security Forums, take part in a multipart Gildenhorn Rising Leaders Aspen Seminar, and co-author policy papers with peers for publication. Selected participants join a network of national security thought leaders.
Duration: Year-long (March 2027 to December 2027)
Eligibility
- Young professional with approximately five to ten years of experience in their field
- Demonstrated interest and involvement in U.S. national security and foreign policy or related fields
- U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green-card holder)
- Able to attend meetings and events throughout the year
- Sign in to check these against your background.
What you will need
- Application form
- Statement of interest
- One short essay
- Resume/CV
- Recommendation letter from a professional or academic reference
How to apply
- Submit application and materials by the deadline
- Reference submits recommendation letter via Recommenders' Portal by the deadline
- Shortlisted candidates interview (15 minutes) with a subset of the selection committee
- Notification in mid-February
- Selected participants attend kick-off in Washington DC (March 17-19, 2027), Aspen Security Forum in Napa, CA (July 18-20, 2027), and Rising Leaders programming in Washington DC (December 2027)
- Selected participants sign a statement agreeing to meet programme expectations
Applications are submitted on Aspen Strategy Group’s own site. Open Doors helps you prepare; it is not the official application portal.
From people who applied
No notes yet.
Source and verification
- Official source
- Aspen Strategy Group · Application
- Last checked
- 10 Nov 2026, read automatically from the official page
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