REGISTRATION CLOSING ON OCTOBER 2
The Johns Hopkins SAIS Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies and the Strat Alumni Council cordially invite you to join alumni, faculty, and special guests to celebrate the annual SAIS Strat Alumni Dinner, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026 at 5:30pm at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington DC.
The dinner program will include guest remarks from SAIS alumna Kelly Magsamen '05, former Chief of Staff to the 28th Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin.
Please join us for a cocktail hour at 5:30pm, with a seated dinner and dessert bar to follow. The event will take place on the 8th floor of 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, where we will enjoy fantastic views of DC.
This year, we will be hosting the alumni dinner in honor of Professor Thomas Keaney, former Associate Director of the Merrill Center, SAIS professor, and beloved member of the Strategic Studies community. As we compile a tribute to Professor Keaney, we are calling on the strat community to share any photos, videos, or written memories of Professor Keaney by emailing or sharing files with stratdistro@gmail.com. We kindly request that submissions be shared by Wednesday, October 7th for inclusion at the dinner.
Cocktail attire is requested.
Registration will close on October 2. We are unable to accommodate plus-ones for this event. This event is open to alumni and invited guests only.
The SAIS Strategic Studies Dinner is more than a gathering — it’s a call to action. We are inviting alumni and friends to come together for an evening that celebrates the program’s proud history while fueling its future.
Your support — as a guest, sponsor, or donor — will kick off our effort to engage 100 donors for the Merrill Center this year. Every contribution helps sustain the experiences you remember: staff rides that inspire, conversations that challenge, and a community that continues to lead.
Reserve your seat and make your gift today. Together, we will ensure the Merrill Center continues to shape global leaders for years to come.
This event is organized by the SAIS Merrill Center, the Strat Alumni Council, and the SAIS Office of Development and Alumni Relations.
All event participants are asked to follow the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association Community Standards for Alumni Events.
Reasonable accommodations can be provided at the request of guests and visitors with disabilities. Arrangements should be made in advance of the date of the event. A minimum of 10 business days’ notice is required for any accommodation.
