Stephen Shaw
Spring 2024 John Jay Fellow
Hometown: Manassas, VA
College: Franciscan University of Steubenville
Degree: B.A. Political Science, Minor in History
Stephen Shaw graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2017 with a B.A. in political science and a minor in history. He particularly enjoyed studying international politics and American foreign policy and wrote his senior thesis on the moral ramifications of American interventionism in the early Cold War.
At Franciscan, Stephen served as a Student Government Senator from his sophomore through senior years. He is especially proud of supporting the Pro-Life Club and Young Americans for Freedom, including funding trips each year for members to attend both the March for Life and the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). As an undergraduate, Stephen volunteered as a mentor at the local Boys and Girls Club and participated in the downtown Steubenville Urban Underground Ministry.
In the summer of 2015, he served as an intern to U.S. Senator John Boozman on Capitol Hill and volunteered at the Southeast White House children’s mentorship program. Stephen was also invited to the Fellowship Foundation’s National Student Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. in October 2015, where he attended working groups focused on servant leadership in the footsteps of Christ.
During his senior year, Stephen served with university faculty and staff as one of two undergraduate representatives on the Franciscan University Planning Committee, voting on resolutions to build, renovate, and repurpose university facilities. He also served as an Army R.O.T.C. cadet and was commissioned as an active-duty officer in May 2017. In the summer of 2017, Stephen served as an intern for Congressman Alex Mooney on Capitol Hill before reporting to the Basic Officer Leaders’ Course.
Stephen has served extensively overseas as an Army logistics officer, including a year in South Korea and two rotations to Poland. He loves to travel and has enjoyed exploring cities around the world, including Seoul, Bangkok, Prague, Krakow, and Nuremberg.
After completing the John Jay Institute Fellowship, Stephen will pursue a Master of Urban and Regional Planning Degree from Georgetown University. He is passionate about building walkable, sustainable, and equitable communities.