David Young

Fall 2026 John Jay Fellow

Hometown: Smithfield, NC
College: Berea College
Major: Political Science

David Young grew up in the greater Raleigh area of North Carolina, where he was raised in the faith and surrounded by great books. In his early education he developed a deep love for language, culture, and history while spending many hours in libraries, museums, and touring government buildings.

David chose to major in Political Science in college due to a growing interest in international relations. Though focused on IR, David’s varied interests kept him involved in many different departments on campus, including history, music, and even geology. Along the way, he picked up minors in Law, Ethics and Society as well as Asian Studies. This foundation led him to take two years of Mandarin Chinese, eventually tying together the threads of his college education by writing his senior thesis on the sources of and influences on Chinese foreign policy. He graduated magna cum laude in 2025.

Outside of class, David was involved in many campus groups and programs, including choirs, dance groups (one of which he founded), the college Appalachian Student Union, the Chinese Language and Culture Club, and the college chapter of the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society. He also presented at the annual conference of the Kentucky Political Science Association and worked as a teacher’s assistant for the Political Science department, primarily for the introductory class where he helped first-year students build a love for political theory and philosophy like his own.

Since graduation, David has been working for a small Christian publishing company. David hopes to continue learning and broadening his horizons, with the eventual goal of joining the U.S. Foreign Service following his time with the John Jay Institute. He is excited to see where the Lord takes him!