AEI’s Executive Council Program began in 2013 on 25 undergraduate campuses and has since grown to over 400 student leaders on more than 100 campuses across the country—including 40 Christian colleges and universities, which are coordinated through the Initiative on Faith & Public Life.
What is the Executive Council Program?
- Executive Councils are groups of up to six students per school who partner with our staff to improve political discourse on their campuses by fostering substantive, non-partisan conversations on topics related to faith, politics, public policy, economics, business, law, and society.
- It is also a leadership development program. We connect Executive Council members to the DC policy world and give them opportunities to develop personally and professionally throughout their involvement in the program.
What do Executive Council members do?
- Promote substantive conversations on campus by hosting events and activities throughout the year. Examples include: lectures or discussions with AEI scholars, local professors, or other experts; private dinners with scholars, business professionals, or government officials; student debates; reading groups; and film and debate screenings. The program is student-driven, so Executive Council members have the autonomy to host events that they think will be most relevant to their peers.
- Attend exclusive conferences (expense-free) featuring substantive policy discussions and leadership training at AEI’s headquarters in Washington, DC, and other locations around the country.
- Connect with a network of like-minded peers from schools across the country, as well as a network of mid-career professionals to explore career opportunities.
- Each semester, a few select students receive op-ed writing training and have the opportunity to write blog posts for the Faith & Public Life blog.
Interested in joining the Executive Council at your school or starting a new Council? Apply here.
Faculty can submit letters of recommendation here.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Please submit your application as soon as possible, or your school’s Council may fill up. Even if your campus’s Council is full, we encourage you to apply and we will consider you as soon as space opens up.
