LEXINGTON, Va., Dec. 7, 2021—Four Air Force ROTC cadets recently joined students from across Virginia for The National Security & Foreign Policy Leadership Briefing in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Heritage Foundation's Feulner Institute.

At the event, students learned about current foreign policy topics and explored careers in U.S. diplomacy, intelligence, and defense.

“The Heritage Foundation's National Security & Foreign Policy Leadership Briefing was an excellent opportunity to learn more about careers associated with the defense of the United States,” Joshua Kent ’24 said. “The careers ranged from foreign ambassadors to cybersecurity specialists and many more in between.”

“[The briefing] was a great learning experience about the changing dynamic of the relationship between the U.S. and many other countries,” Fatoumata Diallo ’23 agreed.

Cadets also had the chance to network with key policymakers and industry professionals, including alumnus E. Sean Lanier ’94.

“I found this [event] to be a unique opportunity that was enriched with knowledge,” Kyle Bordeaux ’22 stated.

“Each guest speaker offered a wide range of expertise on various topics ranging from Anglo-American relations to leadership from the cockpit of a high-performance jet,” Wesley Barbara ’23 said. “I look forward to implementing everything I learned.”

Left: Cadets attend session at forum. Right: Fatoumata Diallo ’23, Wesley Barbara ’23, Joshua Kent ’24, and Kyle Bordeaux ’22 pose with E. Sean Lanier ’94. Photos provided by E. Sean Lanier ’94.

Eric Moore 
Communications & Marketing 
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE