Dawson has been awarded a Fulbright fellowship to pursue an MA in Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Currently, he is expanding his research to better understand messaging and communication tactics used by Hamas. After the Fulbright program, Dawson will return to the U.S. to continue his military service as an Armor officer before pursuing a career in foreign affairs.

Dawson Clifton attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated with a B.S. In Arabic and a minor in terrorism studies. During his time at West Point, he was the president of the Model Arab League team and a participant in the Domestic Affairs Forum. He has a plethora of experience pursuing professional development opportunities in Morocco, Jordan, Chad, and Egypt with the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of State.