Karsh Institute of Democracy Civic Cornerstone Fellowship
In a hyper-partisan political climate, it can be hard to be engaged, especially with people who hold opposing viewpoints. Now entering its second year and built upon the insights of the inaugural cohort of nearly 300 UVA students, the Civic Cornerstone Fellowship (previously known as the Student Dialogue Fellowship) was designed to address this challenge.

Civic Cornerstone Fellows will come together over shared meals every 3-4 weeks in the fall of 2025 to cultivate:

Peer-to-peer dialogue skills through structured conversations with ideologically diverse cohorts
Self-regulation skills through the incorporation of mindfulness practices
Knowledge about the American political landscape

Why apply for this Fellowship?
This fellowship offers students the opportunity to:

Engage in structured conversations with ideologically diverse peers
Gain knowledge about the American political landscape from multiple perspectives
Develop techniques to cultivate and sustain well-being
Participate in small-group discussions with UVA faculty experts
Become a part of a community of fellow-students committed to fostering engaged dialogue

Who is eligible?
All current undergraduate and graduate students at UVA are eligible. You do NOT need to be an expert on politics to apply; you need only a willingness to engage in conversation across differences and a desire to learn.

Questions?
Please contact Luke Forbes, Program Manager at the Karsh Institute, at qzb6na@virginia.edu.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until September 1, 2025 at 11:59pm.
We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible. Information submitted through this application will not be shared publicly.