Undergraduate Fellows Program

The Bruce D. Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization is now accepting applications for the Benson Undergraduate Fellowship (BUF) for the upcoming (2025-2026) academic year. The aim of the Fellowship is to foster an active and flourishing intellectual community of undergraduate students at the Â鶹ӰԺ passionate about the great works of the Western tradition, exposure to a wide range of political and other perspectives, and critical reflection on the social, economic, and philosophical questions of our time. All CU students—including incoming freshmen and transfer students—are welcome to apply for the Fellowship regardless of major, personal background, or political perspective. Financial support for the Benson Undergraduate Fellowship is generously provided by the John J. Wehman Scholarship Fund and the Bill Freytag Conservative Thought Endowed Fund.

The application for the 2025-26 academic year is now open. Applicants should fill out CU Â鶹ӰԺ's . Once submitted, applicants should search for "Benson Center Undergraduate Fellows Program Scholarship" to apply. The application will close on March 15. Email bensoncenter@colorado.edu with questions.

Benson Undergraduate Fellows will be expected to enroll in at least 1 CWCV or other approved course during the 2025-2026 academic year. They will also be expected to attend at least 10 approved Benson Center events over the course of the academic year, to participate in a monthly Fellows reading group, and to participate in the Flourishing Project—a unique opportunity for Fellows to identify and cultivate personal habits conducive to their flourishing.

Applicants should be gifted and intellectually curious CU students dedicated to the Benson Center’s dual mission of fostering intellectual diversity and the study of Western civilization at CU and eager to grow both intellectually and personally through their participation in the Fellowship. They should be able not only to complete all formal Fellowship requirements but also to maintain high standards of personal and academic integrity and to serve as the Benson Center’s student ambassadors.

Fellows will receive a $3,000 scholarship over the course of the 2025-2026 academic year, with $1,500 awarded in the fall semester and $1,500 awarded in the spring semester conditional on completion of fall Fellowship requirements. Fellows will also be given priority for a variety of opportunities offered by the Benson Center, including student grants and financial support for CU in DC internships.

Fellowships are renewable, but current Fellows must reapply for the Fellowship every year. Applications for one-semester ($1,500) Fellowships will be considered, though preference may be given to applicants able to participate in the Fellowship for the entire academic year. Applicants who will not be enrolled at CU for at least part of the 2025-2026 academic year will not be considered. Official acceptance may be conditional on verification of applicants’ GPAs, standardized test scores, and so on.

If you are interested in the Benson Undergraduate Fellowship, please apply by the posted deadline (March 15, 2025). If you have any questions about the Fellowship, please contact the Benson Center at bensoncenter@colorado.edu.

The Benson Center promotes the study of the intellectual, artistic and political traditions that characterize Western Civilization. The Center offers a forum for free inquiry and supports academic freedom and intellectual diversity on campus in a time of increasing political polarization and homogeneity. The Center is organized around a diverse group of faculty and student scholars including a Center Director, Associate Faculty Director, Visiting Scholars in Conservative Thought and Policy (CTP), Scholars in Residence, Faculty Fellows, Harper Graduate Fellows, and  Undergraduate Fellows, and an ongoing series of campus seminars, lectures and programs, faculty and student grants, undergraduate classes, a summer institute and community outreach. These programs, guided by a national board of advisors and a CU faculty executive committee, provide a forum for free and open discourse across the university and the broader community. Our aim is to promote a lively and balanced conversation that respects both conservative and liberal ideals, thus fostering the full diversity of political, economic and philosophical perspectives on the CU Â鶹ӰԺ campus and broader community, and serving as a model for other institutions. More Infomation 

  • Fellows receive a $3,000 stipend for the academic year provided they are contributing to the life of the Center.
  • Fellows will be given priority for student grants such as the John J. Wehman Scholarship, Internship and Language Study Grants, financial support for CU in DC internships, and are welcome to submit individual grant requests to support research and other academic pursuits.
  • Access to visiting scholars, lecturers, and CU faculty, as well as a community of like-minded students.
  • Fellows will be invited to special Center receptions.
  • Fellows can reserve space in the Benson Center suite for academic purposes like study groups or a quiet place to study.
  • Fellows receive access to the Benson Center Library, located in the Benson Center Suite. 
  • Students must be enrolled in an undergraduate program on the CU Â鶹ӰԺ campus. Students must be enrolled in classes in order to receive scholarship funding. Scholarships are not offered in the summer term.
  • Students are expected to actively participate in the life of the Center, which means attending Center events as their schedules allow. At the core of the mission of the Undergraduate Fellows Program is the desire to create an active student community. This means that students should expect to attend events in person more often than not, though exceptions can be made if students make prior arrangements with Center staff by emailing bensoncenter@colorado.edu.
  • Students are responsible for knowing the Center’s schedule (posted on our website) and communicating with Center affiliates if they are unable to participate as originally planned.
  • Students must submit the application before the posted deadline on the Benson Center website.

Yes, students are able and encouraged to apply for fellowship status for consecutive years.

As long as students are enrolled in courses during the semester they are fellows, students are eligible to apply for the fellowship. Seniors graduating in the fall term are eligible to receive $1,500 in the final semester of their senior year. Similiarly, spring transfer students may apply, though it is preferred students apply for the full academic year.

Most of the events hosted by the Center are livestreamed and recorded, then posted on our . Examples of past events can also be found in the events archive. Events are typically in the evening, from 5:30 - 7 p.m. on the CU Â鶹ӰԺ campus. Lectures are typically around 75 minutes followed by a Q&A, though the format and length of event may vary depending on the speaker.

   View More Past Events 

The Benson Center faculty affiliates are responsible for organizing events at the Center. Faculty affiliates have diverse backgrounds and research interests, which results in the diversity of events and speakers at the Center. Faculty affiliates of the Center have included faculty with backgrounds in Philosophy, Economics, Law, Enviornmental Studies, Herbst Program in Engineering, Leeds School of Business, Spanish and Portuguese, and English.

The mission of the Undergraduate Fellows Program is to foster a community of undergraduate students who are interested in engaging in the mission of the Center. Because of this, students should expect to participate in events in person as much as possible. Of course, the Center understands exceptions need to be made; undergraduate fellows should reach out to Center staff if they need an exception or need to participate virtually for an event. The intent is for virtual participation to be the exception instead of the norm.