The Heritage Foundation is proud to congratulate the Heritage Congressional Fellows class of 2011. Their graduation was marked with a ceremony and address featuring Ronald Reagan biographer Steven Hayward on the future of conservative leadership.

The Heritage Congressional Fellowship (HCF) is a year-long educational program for junior-level Capitol Hill staffers that focuses on the principles of conservatism, current issues, and skill improvement. With 34 staffers graduating this year (and 50 or so attending regular sessions each Friday), HCF provides quality instruction on America’s first principles and the most important issues of the day. Past speakers include Edwin Meese III, Bill Kristol, Tucker Carlson, Marc Thiessen, and many top Heritage analysts. The Heritage Congressional Fellows Program is now accepting applications for the 2012 program, which begins in February.

Also joining the Heritage Congressional Fellows Program were members of the James Madison Fellows Program. This program is Heritage’s educational program for senior-level Hill staffers. Participating in educational seminars, roundtable discussions, retreats, and regular networking luncheons, the members learn how to bring principles of limited, constitutional government to bear on their work. This more advanced seminar-style program of discussions, retreats, and events is by invitation only and teaches congressional staffers how to develop the founding principles of constitutionalism and limited government into coherent, relevant policy.

For information about joining the Heritage Congressional Fellows Program or the James Madison Fellows Program, please contact Landon Zinda at Landon.Zinda@heritage.org.

Congratulations to the 2011 Heritage Congressional Fellows (employers in parentheses):

Mike Albares (Rep. Martha Roby, R-AL), Nate Anderson (Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-MI), Cyrus Artz (Rep. Jim Jordan, R-OH), Jack Barger (Rep. S. Brett Guthrie, R-KY), Jess Bolitho (Rep. Scott Tipton, R-CO), Emily Buckman (Rep. S. Brett Guthrie), Nate Bult (Rep. Bill Huizenga), Alisa Cassil (Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle, R-NY), Amy Cheng (Sen. Charles Grassley, R-IA), Drew Colliatie (House Oversight and Government Reform Committee), Keith Dater (Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-KS), Thomas Divine (Rep. Pete Olson, R-TX), Darrell Dixon (Sen. Thad Cochran, R-MS), Katie Rose Hargreaves (Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-KS), Juliana Heerschapp (Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-KS), Sarah Hudgins (Rep. Kevin Brady, R-TX), Brandon Jackson (Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle), Michelle Jelnicky (Rep. Sue Myrick, R-NC), Matthew Justak (Rep. Larry Buchson, R-IN), Derek Khanna (Sen. Scott Brown, R-MA), Autumn Leva (Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-CO), Gerren McHam (Sen. Jim DeMint, R-SC), Jonathan McNabb (Rep. Diane Black, R-TN), Brandon Miller (Rep. Doug Lamborn), Justin Reynolds (Rep. Paul C. Broun, R-GA), Patrick Sadler (Sen. Thad Cochran), Karen Schuberg (Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-CA), Ben Stewart (Rep. Ben Quayle, R-AZ), Andrew Tharp (Rep. Mo Brooks, R-AL), Jett Thompson (Rep. Sam Johnson, R-TX), Sean Varner (Rep. John Fleming, R-LA), Jordan Woodruff (Rep. Diane Black), Ari Zimmerman (Rep. Allen West, R-FL), and Ansley Wallace (Rep. Diane Black).

Samuel Sheetz is a member of the Young Leaders Program at the Heritage Foundation. Click here for more information on interning at Heritage.