UNC-Chapel Hill named Department of War fellowship partner

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been approved as a partner for the Department of War's Senior Service College (SSC) Fellowship. The SSC Fellowship program is designed to prepare senior military officers for strategic leadership roles by deepening their understanding of national security strategy and strengthening their leadership, critical-thinking and decision-making skills.

"We are deeply honored to participate in the Senior Service College Fellowship program. The program fits well within the context of our mission of service, and we take tremendous pride in our deep, longstanding relationship with the United States military," said UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee H. Roberts.

Carolina's ties to military service date back to its founding. University founder William Richardson Davey served as a commander in the Revolutionary War, and from 1942 to 1945, the campus hosted the U.S. Navy Pre-Flight School, which trained nearly 20,000 cadets for service during World War II. Among those connected to the program were three future U.S. presidents: Gerald Ford, who served as an instructor; George H.W. Bush, who trained as a cadet; and Ronald Reagan, then a Hollywood actor, who visited campus to provide morale-boosting entertainment.

"Under the leadership of Secretary Hegseth, the Department of War is revitalizing Professional Military Education to ensure that our warfighters are prepared to achieve peace through strength. We are proud to partner with Chancellor Roberts and UNC-Chapel Hill - a university with a rich tradition of service and support for our men and women in uniform - to develop a rigorous new Senior Service College Fellowship Program, equipping our officers to meet our critical national security mission," said Honorable Anthony J. Tata, Under Secretary of War for Personnel and Readiness.

UNC-Chapel Hill is home to a vibrant military-affiliated community, serving approximately 1,200 military students, more than 1,300 military dependents and 150 ROTC cadets and midshipmen across three programs. Carolina's commitment to military-connected students has earned national recognition, including a No. 7 ranking among Military Friendly Schools and a No. 8 ranking among Best Colleges for Veterans by U.S. News & World Report.

"Senior officers who come to Chapel Hill will contribute to nationally significant work in artificial intelligence, public policy, global security and more, and they will have access to one of the world's great research universities," said UNC-Chapel Hill Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Magnus Egerstedt. "We are ready to receive the fellows, and we are ready to give them an education worthy of their service."