Brandon Hoang
Fall 2024 John Jay Fellow
Hometown: Missouri City, TX
College: Stanford University
Degree: B.A. International Relations
Brandon Hoang graduated with honors from Stanford University in June 2023 with a B.A. in International Relations and a minor in Philosophy. His senior honors thesis, written through the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, explored the influence of the Papacy on early Christian democratic party formation in 20th century France and Italy.
At Stanford, he cultivated a keenness for political philosophy as an inducted member of the René Girard Debate Society and a brief contributor to the Stanford Review. He carried his interest in the higher questions to the nearby Zephyr Institute, an academic center for the humanities where he was a one-time Junior Fellow and a frequent reading group attendee.
Outside of Stanford, Brandon spent his summers as a 2022 Hertog Political Studies Fellow and a 2023 ISI Honors Fellow. Owing to his zeal for French counter-revolutionary thought, he also traveled overseas to participate as a 2023 Academia Tocqueville Fellow in Paris.
Above all, Brandon devoted his time to evangelization and the salvation of souls by serving in leadership for the Catholic Undergraduate Student Association. As Co-President for one year and head of faith formation for three, he tirelessly promoted the Church’s rich prayer tradition and fervently spread devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Rosary and Miraculous Medal.
In his free time, you might find Brandon serving as an altar boy in the Traditional Latin Mass, hiking the backcountry, working out at the gym, or reading a chivalric romance.
After completing the John Jay Institute Fellowship, Brandon plans to attend law school in service of defending religious liberty and restoring the notion of the common good. Aside from a career in public service, however, Brandon’s paramount goal is to become a saint – to lead a holy life united to Christ.