Cutting Through the Noise: AEI’s Summer Honors Program

Every summer, more than 200 of the nation’s most impressive undergraduates gather in Washington, DC for AEI’s Summer Honors Program. These students participate in seminars with AEI scholars and other experts, hear panel discussions about pressing policy concerns, benefit from professional networking opportunities, and enjoy keynote lectures from intellectual luminaries. Even more remarkable than this variety of events is that these students join the program knowing that they’ll be surrounded by peers from a broad range of political backgrounds who will challenge their beliefs and opinions. In other words, these students are eager to engage with and learn more about differing perspectives — a quality that’s all too rare in the contemporary American political landscape.

It is no secret that our country is deeply polarized. Our political tribes are increasingly fixed on a variety of issues — economic, social, and cultural — while our declining institutions fail to bind us together. Part of this problem originates from unique locations within our body politic: Social media confirm biases and enable our selective outrage; politicians prefer to perform loudly instead of legislate effectively; and non-state actors wield soft influence over mainstream opinions.

However, a sizable portion of this polarization originates in our basic desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We attach ourselves to political causes and parties which become primary, perhaps core, parts of our identity. When our political identities become dominant, they crowd out other sources of belonging that are equally important. Local civic membership, friendships, and even family members can be swept away by an all-encompassing demand for partisan loyalty. This can also influence our tendency to create an “outgroup,” or a political enemy that diametrically opposes our vision and way of life.

Our nation’s colleges and universities are not immune to this polarization. Students can be tempted to engage with vitriol, fail to listen to those who think differently, and ultimately view education as an opportunity to arm themselves for future ideological battles. If realized, our universities transform into shallow environments devoid of meaningful learning.

This vision of education impedes our ability to cultivate liberal democracy. If classrooms and campuses become labs that produce students who think uniformly, the health of our citizenry is in trouble.

That’s why AEI’s Summer Honors Program provides a classroom experience rooted in mutual respect and dignity, while leaving room for a competition of ideas. It pushes students to argue on the merits for their ideas and solutions without forgetting to consider opposing perspectives. It seeks to challenge, inform, and broaden a student’s perspective on a relevant public policy topic.

In our own personal experiences as students of the Summer Honors Program, we found that our classmates — despite our disagreements — were charitable, humble, and willing to engage in respectful dialogue. It became a refuge from the polarized culture of campus marked by tentative and monolithic learning environments. We also connected with leading professionals, visited relevant organizations around DC, and built a community of peers through informal time during the week. In some ways, this community has been the most meaningful — we both still stay in touch with fellow participants as they pursue important careers in DC and across the country.

This year’s fully funded program offers courses on a variety of topics that cover pressing issues such as China’s foreign policy, constitutional interpretation, healthcare policy, and free markets. If you are an undergraduate who is eager to study policy in an environment that encourages civil discourse and heterodox thinking, we strongly encourage you to apply. If you know any students who may be interested, please nominate them here.