BRI Students Explore Civil Society, Nation’s Capital for Fellowship Week

They studied the work of Henry David Thoreau on the steps of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. 

They visited their Congressional representatives in the halls of the U.S. Capitol. 

And they debated Aristotle and important concepts like citizenship and civil society while exploring the beautiful campus of Georgetown University.

Twenty-two of the most talented civics and history students in America recently wrapped up an eventful, educational trip to Washington, D.C. as part of the Bill of Rights Institute’s Student Fellowship Week. 

BRI’s Student Fellowship program is a highly competitive six-month educational journey that helps students develop as leaders and build skills necessary for civil society. 

Students participate in robust programming throughout the school year, meeting twice monthly. The program culminates in a week-long, scholarship-funded trip to Washington, D.C., where students continue their studies and visit important sites throughout our nation’s capital. 

“Our constant conversations and personal development as well as our introduction to D.C. are foundational experiences that, at least for me, provided important perspective for the way I go about my life and for our futures as we attempt to change America for the better,” Indiana student Sam Underhill said about his Student Fellowship experience. 

This year’s Student Fellows visited the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Supreme Court, the National Archives, the National Cathedral, the Museum of African American History and Culture, the Kennedy Center, and several historic monuments. 

Students also had the opportunity to participate in a week of BRI programming on the Georgetown University campus, where they explored the legacy of Abraham Lincoln, the works of Thoreau, Aristotle, and Alexis de Tocqueville, and important concepts in civics education. 

“A good citizen is always going to take the opportunity to engage in civil society,” Patrick Dugan, a Student Fellow from Illinois, said in a final project that reflected on the responsibilities of citizenship. 

“We should always lead with an understanding of the other side,” Student Fellow Madeline Gage from Pennsylvania added while discussing the necessity of civil discourse. 

BRI Senior Director, Civic Learning Initiatives Rachel Davison Humphries said the BRI Student Fellowship provides students with a unique opportunity to develop civic knowledge and citizenship skills while engaging with peers from across the United States. 

“At the Bill of Rights Institute, it is our mission to equip young people to live the ideals of a free and just society,” she said. “That requires learning, reflection, and engaging with your fellow citizens. We have been honored to work with this talented cohort of students as they develop as citizens and leaders.”

You can learn more about BRI's Student Fellowship Program here.