Live Now
Cato University

Cato University 2026: Winter Term

Date and Time
February 5, 2026 — February 7, 2026
Location
Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC
Share This Event
Apply for Cato University

At this time, Cato University Winter Term has reached capacity. By submitting your application, you agree to be added to our waitlist in the event a space opens. We encourage you to also apply for our Cato University Summer Terms at https://​www​.cato​.org/​e​d​u​c​a​t​i​o​n​a​l​-​p​r​o​g​r​a​m​s​/​c​a​t​o​-​u​n​i​v​e​rsity. 

If you have any questions or need assistance applying, please email our staff at events@​cato.​org.

Cato University is the Cato Institute’s premier educational event for college students. Each program will explore classical liberal philosophy as a foundation for considering current policy issues. This year’s Cato University Winter Term is offered in cooperation with Students For Liberty. Members of Students For Liberty are particularly encouraged to apply as additional programming will be offered for SFL students.

Cato University is for United States based applicants; we are currently not accepting applications from internationally based attendees.

Benefits include room and board, 20+ hours of academic programming, networking opportunities, resources for further study, and a $500 travel stipend upon completion of the program.

Apply for Cato University

Schedule

Thursday, February 5

4:30 - 5:30 PM

Registration

5:30 - 6:00 PM

Welcoming Remarks and Event Kickoff

6:00 - 6:30 PM

Opening Reception

6:30 - 7:30 PM

Dinner

7:30 - 8:30 PM

Opening Keynote: Constitutional Constraints on Executive Emergency Powers

Ilya Somin, B. Kenneth Simon Chair in Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute

Friday, February 6

8:00 - 8:45 AM

Breakfast

9:00 - 10:15 AM

In Defense of Openness

Jason Brennan, Robert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Professor, Georgetown University
10:15 - 10:30 AM

Break

10:30 - 11:30 AM

A Consequentialist Approach to Limited Government

Jeffrey Miron, Vice President for Research, Cato Institute
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

The State of Realism and Restraint in American Foreign Policy: A Practitioner’s Perspective

Katherine Thompson, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute
12:30 - 1:15 PM

Lunch

1:15 - 2:30 PM

The Grievances of the Declaration of Independence at 250

Clark Neily, Senior Vice President for Legal Studies, Cato Institute
Alex Nowrasteh, Senior Vice President for Policy, Cato Institute
2:30 - 2:45 PM

Break

2:45 - 3:45 PM

Data and Dollars: Understanding Tech and Finance Policy

Jennifer Huddleston, Senior Fellow in Technology Policy, Cato Institute
Jennifer J. Schulp, Former Director of Financial Regulation Studies, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives
Solveig Singleton, Policy Analyst, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternative
3:45 - 4:00 PM

Break

4:00 - 4:30 PM

Debrief and Discussion

4:30 - 6:00 PM

Free Time

6:00 - 6:30 PM

Reception

6:30 - 7:30 PM

Dinner

7:30 - 8:30 PM

Dinner Keynote: The Promise of the Declaration and the Civic Virtues That Sustain It

Michael Promisel, Assistant Professor of Politics, Catholic University of America

Saturday, February 7

8:00 - 8:45 AM

Breakfast

9:00 - 10:00 AM

Classical Liberalism and Rhetorical Problems

Paul Meany, Intellectual History Editor,
Lib​er​tar​i​an​ism​.org
10:00 - 11:15 AM

Workshop: Civil Discourse and Making a Convincing Case for Classical Liberalism

11:15 AM - 12:00 PM

Closing Remarks, Group Photo, and Stipend Distribution

Optional Afternoon Sessions
12:00 - 12:45 PM

Lunch

12:45 - 1:30 PM

Public Speaking Workshop

Stephen Rowe, Cato Courses Director, Cato Institute
1:30 - 1:45 PM

Break

1:45 - 2:30 PM

Building a Strong Cato Internship Application

Cortez Bartolome, Student Programs Manager, Cato Institute
2:30 - 3:00 PM

Activism and AI

Stephen Rowe, Cato Courses Director, Cato Institute
3:00 PM

Wrap Up and Departures

Past Events

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.