Full Breakdown
Seton Hall’s National Security Graduate Fellowship Prepares Students for Immediate Government Service
By Drooid · · How we work
Overview of the Program
The National Security Graduate Fellowship, housed in Seton Hall University’s School of Diplomacy and International Relations, pairs graduate students with U.S. government agencies to conduct research on pressing foreign-policy and national-security issues.
Design, Partnerships, and Emerging Focus Areas
Projects have also addressed how the State Department might re-engage with the Taliban should the group regain power in Afghanistan. Mirghahari emphasizes that younger fellows bring technological expertise that agencies often lack, positioning AI and data analytics as “force multipliers” for national-security work.
Placement Outcomes and Agency Feedback
Mirghahari reports an 80 % placement rate for fellowship graduates, who have entered the National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, Secret Service, the military, and defense-contracting firms. The program’s model, he argues, helps agencies compensate for limited resources while delivering timely research on evolving threats.
Why It Matters
By embedding graduate students in ongoing government projects, the fellowship seeks to shorten the learning curve for new hires and expand the analytical capacity of U.S. security institutions amid complex challenges from China, foreign influence, and rapid technological change.
Verbatim Quotes
- “My goal for my students is they’re ready day one if they get hired,” — Mohamad Mirghahari, according to founder
- “Our program is unlike any other in the nation because our graduate students are actually tackling real-world national security challenges and issues from government agencies,” — Mohamad Mirghahari, according to founder
- “As we know, most government agencies have a lot of things going on and they don't have enough resources, but what our graduate students are able to do is support those government agencies, answering and doing research for real-world requirements in the national security field.” — Mohamad Mirghahari, according to founder
- “Part of what makes our program so unique is that we address the real-world issues of today,” — Mohamad Mirghahari, according to founder
- “Some of the feedback we’ve received from agencies is, ‘Your students are well-equipped. They’re better than some of the people who have been here for five to 10 years,’” — Mohamad Mirghahari, according to founder