Three Florida State University students named 2025 Humanities at Hertog Fellows

Three Florida State University students — Jonus Goldstein, Max Harden and Matthew John Aguilera — have been named 2025 Humanities at Hertog Fellows, selected from a competitive cohort of students from various elite institutions.

The Humanities at Hertog Fellowship, a prestigious and new opportunity offered through FSU’s Office of National Fellowships, provides a fully subsidized program that enables fellows to immerse themselves in rigorous academic inquiry through online seminars and summer programs in the humanities, law and international affairs.

During the spring 2025 semester, the Hertog Fellows participated in a six-week online seminar focusing on Thucydides’ “History of the Peloponnesian War.”

“We are incredibly proud of these students for their selection as Humanities at Hertog Fellows,” said Ryan Owens, director of FSU’s Institute for Governance and Civics. “This recognition confirms FSU’s commitment to academic excellence and shows the importance of studying topics like western civilization and the ideas that underlie America’s foundation.”  

Jonus Goldstein, a sophomore from New Port Richey, Florida, is pursuing a dual degree in management information systems and political science with a minor in urban and regional planning.

At FSU, Goldstein excels in civic leadership. He serves in student government, works part-time as a legislative aide in the Florida Senate, and works as an Institute Assistant at the Institute for Governance and Civics. He also completed fellowships through FSU’s Sustainable Campus, where he led solar and electric vehicle infrastructure projects.

Competing with students from universities such as Yale and Stanford, he credited FSU’s support in being selected for the Hertog Fellowship.

“Having faculty and staff who take the time to mentor students, connect us with opportunities, and say: ‘you should go for this’ makes all the difference,” Goldstein said.

Goldstein emphasized the intellectual growth he experienced during the fellowship through deep, collaborative discussions with peers from a variety of academic backgrounds.

“The best part is the depth of thought everyone brings,” Goldstein said. “You’ve got people from completely different academic backgrounds all reading the same text, yet each person walks away with a different insight. You find yourself rethinking your own views just by listening. It’s an environment where you speak not just to be heard, but to understand.”

He also values Hertog’s 1,900-strong alumni network.

“My hope is that down the line, we’ll have multiple students representing FSU each year and that this kind of rigorous, civic-minded programming becomes something our students actively pursue,” he said. 

Max Harden, a junior from Tampa, Florida, is a double major in economics and philosophy with a minor in classics. He is a student assistant at FSU’s Institute for Governance and Civics and a researcher at the DeVoe L. Moore Center, specializing in aerospace and labor economics. 

“These seminars are outstanding since they allow us to build upon our FSU education in dynamic ways,” Harden said. “Thucydides’ work is an examination of human nature in war and across history, variously considering economics, politics, philosophy and international affairs. We get to ask interdisciplinary questions and pursue comprehensive answers in a dedicated community.” 

At FSU, Harden participates in the Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) program under Assistant Teaching Professor Doug Norton, which equips students with analytical skills for opportunities like Hertog. He also credits professors Sam Staley and Randall Holcombe from the Department of Economics and Mark LeBar from the Department of Philosophy for investing in his intellectual formation inside and outside the classroom.  

“FSU students are given intellectual tools they can use to engage with scholars and top students from around the country by crossing disciplinary lines to seek answers to deep questions,” Harden said. “The PPE program fosters a unique ability to connect ideas across fields, preparing students to tackle complex issues with clarity and depth.” 

Harden looks forward to seeing more FSU students take advantage of programs like Hertog while continuing to explore the intersection of political theory and real-world policy. 

“I hope more FSU students pursue Hertog’s rigorous seminars,” Harden said. “I cannot thank my professors enough for investing in my growth as a student, intellectual and human. Thanks to them, this summer I will be working an economic policy internship that includes interdisciplinary discussion groups.” 

Matthew John Aguilera is a senior political science major from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

His academic path at FSU has been defined by a deep engagement with political science and international affairs, utilizing opportunities like the Hertog Fellowship to further his education in this field.

“I applied to the program because I was captivated by the idea of studying certain eternal principles of war and statecraft — what Thucydides sought to capture in his history, which he described ‘as a possession for all time,’ not something ‘to capture the applause of the moment,’” Aguilera said. “These lessons remain relevant to modern international affairs and politics.” 

Aguilera is currently interning with the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. and will attend the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship at Hillsdale College to pursue a master’s degree in politics in the fall.

He values the opportunity to engage with Hertog’s robust academic community and looks forward to applying these insights in his future studies.

“I highly recommend the fellowship to anyone with an interest in the humanities and a passion for intellectual rigor,” he said.

To learn about fellowship opportunities, visit onf.fsu.edu.

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