Freedom and Citizenship

A large group of young adults who participated in the Freedom and Citizenship program.

Freedom and Citizenship introduces dedicated high school students to college-level work in the humanities and prepares them for lives as informed, responsible citizens.

Students attend a free four-week residential program in July where they take an intensive seminar course on political philosophy taught by Ivy League professors. The summer program is followed by a year-long civic leadership project where students research contemporary political issues and develop advocacy initiatives under the supervision of undergraduate teaching assistants.

In the autumn, students also benefit from college application guidance from the Double Discovery Center and mentoring from Columbia College undergraduates. Successful students receive letters of recommendation from their summer professors to accompany their college applications.