The ICDP Fellowship is a cross-institutional program for undergraduates led by a consortium of six colleges and universities located throughout the United States:

California State University, Bakersfield, CA
DePauw University, Greencastle, IN
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Santa Fe College, Gainesville, FL 
Stanford University, Stanford, CA
St. Philips College, San Antonio, TX

A select group of ICDP Fellows are chosen by application from each partner school. Fellows will receive training in facilitation, engage in deliberative conversations within the fellows’ group, and have opportunities to interact with speakers from different sectors. The mission of the ICDP is to advance fundamental democratic commitments to freedom of expression, equality, and agency; develop students’ skills to facilitate conversations across political difference; and create spaces for civil disagreement to flourish on college campuses. For more about the program approach and experience, please see the ICDP Handbook. 

The Cohort Experience
In addition to acquiring real-world skills to become practitioners in facilitating civil disagreement, Fellows will have special opportunities to interact with the community of scholars, faculty, and fellowship alumni connected to the ICDP. Fellows will also have access to a wide range of additional online programming offered by the six partner institutions throughout the academic year in support of their academic, professional, and personal development.  

Expectations
Fellows must be available August 10-14 for a fully-funded in-person orientation and retreat at DePauw University's Prindle Institute for Ethics. 
Fellows will meet in person in their individual campus cohorts roughly every other week during the fall and spring semesters. 
Once a month, fellows will attend online dialogues with a group of Fellows from across the partner institutions.
Attendance at these sessions is mandatory and critical to achieving program goals; applicants agree to work to schedule meetings with the maximum possible flexibility.
For remote sessions, students will need a strong and reliable internet connection that allows for video participation. 
Additionally, students are expected to attend or watch 1-2 external panel discussions, planned by ICDP partner institutions, per semester. 
We plan to schedule an in-person winter gathering in late January 2026; ideally most fellows will attend.
Students who are selected as ICDP Fellows will receive a $1,000 honorarium for their year-long participation (disbursed on a schedule set by students’ home institution). 
Total time commitment: approx. 2-3 hours per week, on average. 

Eligibility 
Undergraduates from all concentrations and political ideologies are encouraged to apply. 
Eagerness to engage in dialogue with others across a diversity of opinions and experiences is essential.  
Strong applicants will have a demonstrable interest in learning how to lead productive and enriching conversations across a diversity of opinions and experiences. 
Part- or full-time enrollment as an undergraduate during the 2025-2026 academic year at one of the six sponsoring institutions is required (with eligibility determined by each institution’s enrollment/funding policies).

How to Apply 
Students interested in this program should complete the online application form, which includes submission of the following: 

A brief paragraph explaining why you are interested in participating and what skills you hope to gain from the program 
A brief paragraph about your background and/or any experiences you have had that have shaped your perspectives on political issues 
A few discussion topics that you would like to explore during the year-long fellowship 
A resume/CV 
Applications are due by 11:59 pm EASTERN TIME on Thursday, May 19, 2025.