WASHINGTON, D.C. (Michigan News Source) – The U.S. Department of War (DOW) is still looking for a few good men and women. That’s why they’re eyeing the University of Michigan and Hillsdale College for higher education partnerships.

A “rigorous and relevant education.”

According to a DOW memo dated February 26, 2026, federal officials plan to end some fellowships at Ivy League and private institutions and find new homes for those programs. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the change “decisive” and said the move will “ensure our leaders receive a more rigorous and relevant education to better prepare them for the complexities of modern warfare.”

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The memo added, “We will no longer invest in institutions that fail to sharpen our leaders’ warfighting capabilities or that undermine the very
values they are sworn to defend.”

Michigan and Hillsdale respond.

Michigan News Source reached out to both the University of Michigan and Hillsdale College. Kay Jarvis, Director of Public Affairs at U-M, boasted about the school’s “distinguished centuries-long history of educating some of the nation’s most elite active-duty military leaders and veterans.”

Jarvis said, “The university recognizes the substantial responsibilities active-duty personnel carry, and Michigan welcomes the opportunity to remove unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles as active-duty military leaders pursue an education. To that end, we are establishing an expedited review process for military applicants to U-M who have been admitted to Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. This pathway allows elite service members to have their credentials considered without the burden of a redundant application, and it ensures applicants receive timely decisions.”

Hillsdale College spokeswoman Emily Davis said the school does not accept government funding but that doesn’t mean they won’t work with officers. Davis said, “If senior officers want serious education in the principles they swear to defend, Hillsdale College is exactly where they should be.  If there is interest in officers studying here, we will find a way to help without troubling the taxpayer.”