Eisenhower Fellowships Welcomes 2025 Class of USA Leaders
Eisenhower Fellowships (EF) has proudly selected nine exceptional young American leaders from diverse professional fields for its prestigious 2025 USA Program. This initiative will provide these promising leaders with five weeks of intensive travel overseas, allowing them to engage with experts in their respective professions.
A Transformative Fellowship Journey
The selected leaders will embark on a journey abroad designed to foster dialogue and cross-cultural exchange. They will meet and collaborate with international peers and thought leaders, exploring new ideas and forming impactful partnerships that will shape projects they will implement upon their return home.
Diverse Professional Backgrounds
The Fellows for the 2025 USA Program come from various professional backgrounds, including public policy, education, healthcare, civic engagement, and technology. This diversity allows them to drive change in crucial areas, ranging from school-based health initiatives and STEM education to artificial intelligence safety and economic development.
Proven Track Records of Impact
These leaders possess a remarkable track record of spearheading initiatives that benefit American communities. Their projects include developing community-led safety hubs, creating digital transparency platforms for local governments, and enhancing park programming to establish civic memory and access to public spaces. Additionally, they have forged partnerships to expand hands-on STEM outreach efforts to over 100,000 underserved students.
Pioneering Approaches to Community Leadership
The USA Fellows are dedicated to advancing innovative approaches in their respective fields and communities. Each fellow embodies EF's mission to promote peace, prosperity, and justice through international understanding and collaboration. Their experiences during the fellowship will equip them with insights to better their societies upon their return.
EF's chairman, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert M. Gates, emphasized, "In a time of global tension and uncertainty, we are proud to send these outstanding young Americans overseas for fruitful exchanges that will strengthen ties between future leaders of our countries."
Meet the 2025 USA Fellows
The impressive cohort of 2025 Eisenhower Fellows includes:
- Kam Buckner, State Representative, Illinois General Assembly
- Sirisha Kuchimanchi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sahita Technologies
- Ryan McClure, Executive Director, Gateway Arch Park Foundation
- Gabriel McCormick, Senior Director of Teaching and Learning, Public Schools of Brookline
- Kendra McDow, Medical Officer, School District of Philadelphia
- Elizabeth Pishny, Government Affairs, Google
- Kenneth Smith, Integration and Test Lead, Blue Origin
- Daniela Velázquez, Alderperson, City of St. Louis
- Bryan Weisbard, Director of Product Management, DoorDash
About Eisenhower Fellowships
Founded in 1953 and named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower, EF is dedicated to bringing mid-career leaders from various fields and countries together to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and promote international understanding. Their initiatives are focused on direct dialogue to address shared challenges.
With a strong network of nearly 1,900 active Fellows spanning numerous nations, EF empowers leaders to confront pressing global issues with creativity and determination.
For more information contact:
Erin Hillman, Vice President of Programs and Operations
215-546-1738
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Eisenhower Fellowships program?
The Eisenhower Fellowships program connects mid-career leaders from diverse fields for international dialogue and collaboration to promote peace and understanding.
How many fellows are selected each year?
Nine exceptional fellows are selected for the 2025 USA Program, representing diverse professional backgrounds.
What are the goals of the fellowship journey?
Fellows aim to explore new ideas, establish collaborative partnerships, and develop impactful projects to implement in their communities.
Who are some of the notable fellows in the 2025 class?
Notable fellows include Kam Buckner, Sirisha Kuchimanchi, and Ryan McClure, among others, each bringing unique experiences and expertise.
How does EF support the fellows after their return?
EF empowers fellows by providing them valuable insights and resources to apply what they learned during the fellowship to better their communities.
