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Cato University 

# Cato University 2026: Summer Term II 

Date and Time 

**August 19, 2026 — August 22, 2026** 

Location 

Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 

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**Applications Are Closed**

Cato University is the Cato Institute’s premier educational conference for college and graduate students. Each program will explore classical liberal philosophy as a foundation for considering current policy issues. While the topics for each conference will vary, the goal of Cato University is to foster an enduring community of outstanding faculty and participants who share a commitment to liberty and learning.

Cato University is for United States based students. 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.

Applications for the 2026 summer terms will open in the last quarter of 2025. Applicants will be notified of their status on a rolling basis. If you have any questions or need assistance applying, please email our staff at [events@​cato.​org](mailto:events@cato.org).

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### Schedule

#### Wednesday, August 19

4:30 - 5:30 PM 

**Registration**

5:30 - 6:30 PM 

**Welcome Reception**

6:30 - 7:30 PM 

**Dinner**

7:30 - 8:30 PM 

**Keynote Address:**

**Divided over the Declaration: How an Enduring Debate Sustains the Vision of America**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2026-07/David%20Bobb-cropped.jpg)[David Bobb](https://www.cato.org/people/david-bobb), President and CEO, Bill of Rights Institute 

#### Thursday, August 20

8:00 - 8:45 AM 

**Breakfast**

9:00 - 10:15 AM 

**The Grievances of the Declaration of Independence at 250**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_desktop_3x/public/2021-01/Clark%20Neily.jpg?itok=gAushuUJ)[Clark Neily](https://www.cato.org/people/clark-neily), Senior Vice President for Legal Affairs, Cato Institute 

in conversation with

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_desktop_3x/public/2026-02/2025-10-16-Thomas%20Berry-sq_0.jpg?itok=tRmZz2--)[Thomas A. Berry](https://www.cato.org/people/thomas-berry), Director, Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute 

10:15 - 10:45 AM 

**Break**

10:45 - 11:45 AM 

**Session A: Data & Dollars**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_desktop_3x/public/2023-06/Jennifer-Huddleston-img-cropped2.jpg?itok=GLQEheea)[Jennifer Huddleston](https://www.cato.org/people/jennifer-huddleston), Senior Fellow in Technology Policy, Cato Institute 

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_desktop_3x/public/2025-02/NicholasAnthony-cropped.jpg?itok=mo7PVqUG)[Nicholas Anthony](https://www.cato.org/people/nicholas-anthony), Research Fellow, Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives, Cato Institute 

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**Session B:** [***Your Body, Your Health Care*** ](https://www.cato.org/books/body-health-care)

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_desktop_3x/public/2024-05/jeff-singer-cropped.jpg?itok=jAo3sxyB)[Jeffrey A. Singer](https://www.cato.org/people/jeffrey-singer), Senior Fellow, Cato Institute 

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM 

**Lunch**

12:45 - 2:15 PM 

**Policy Session: Escape from Debtocracy: An Interactive Federal Budgeting Challenge**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2022-09/Romina-Boccia-cropped2.jpg)[Romina Boccia](https://www.cato.org/people/romina-boccia), Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy 

2:15 - 2:30 PM 

**Break**

2:30 - 3:30 PM 

**Breakout Sessions: Understanding Each Other**

**Rhetoric and Strategies for Civil Discourse**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2023-02/ErecSmith-cropped.jpg)[Erec Smith](https://www.cato.org/people/erec-smith), Research Fellow, Cato Institute, and Cofounder, Free Black Thought 

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**Public Speaking**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_tablet_2x/public/2026-06/rowecropped.jpg)**Stephen Rowe**, Cato Courses Director, Cato Institute 

3:30 - 3:45 PM 

**Break**

3:45 - 4:15 PM 

**Debrief Activity**

4:15 - 5:45 PM 

**Free Time**

5:45 - 6:30 PM 

**Reception**

6:30 - 7:30 PM 

**Dinner**

7:30 - 8:30 PM 

**Dinner Program: Free Speech and Individualism in the Age of Technology**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_desktop_3x/public/2026-03/rikki-schlott%20Cropped.jpg?itok=j-AF1ROX)[Rikki Schlott](https://www.cato.org/people/rikki-schlott), Media Fellow, Cato Institute 

in conversation with

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2026-07/freyaindia.jpg)[Freya India](https://www.cato.org/people/freya-india), Author 

#### Friday, August 21

8:00 - 8:45 AM 

**Breakfast**

9:00 - 10:00 AM 

**Religious Liberty, Natural Rights, and the American Founding**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_desktop_3x/public/2024-11/akyol-cropped-new.jpg?itok=Gflr4KQZ)[Mustafa Akyol](https://www.cato.org/people/mustafa-akyol), Senior Fellow, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Cato Institute 

in conversation with

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/styles/bio_picture_desktop_3x/public/2025-03/Allan%20Carey-circle.jpg?itok=tovuFqPD)[Allan Carey](https://www.cato.org/people/allan-carey), Director, Sphere Education Initiatives 

10:00 - 10:30 AM 

**Break**

10:30 - 11:30 AM 

**Adam Smith, for Real**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2023-08/bourdreaux-new-cropped.jpg)[Donald Boudreaux](https://www.cato.org/people/donald-boudreaux), Professor of Economics, George Mason University 

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM 

**Creating Compelling Content: The Human Action Model**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2026-06/kristi-kendall%20Cropped.jpg)[Kristina Kendall](https://www.cato.org/people/kristi-kendall), Vice President of Multimedia Content 

12:00 - 1:15 PM 

**Lunch**

**Lunch Program: Inside the Cato Internship**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/2026-01/cortez-bartolome.jpeg)**Cortez Bartolome**, Student Programs Manager, Cato Institute 

1:15 - 1:30 PM 

**Break**

1:30 - 2:45 PM 

**Breakout Sessions: Policy Briefings**

2:45 - 3:15 PM 

**Refreshment Break**

3:15 - 4:15 PM 

**Professional Development Workshops**

4:15 - 6:00 PM 

**Free Time**

6:00 - 6:30 PM 

**Reception**

6:30 - 7:30 PM 

**Dinner**

7:30 - 8:30 PM 

**Dinner Program:**

**Declared Independent: The Logic of Revolution**

![](https://www.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/authors/crops/mcdonald.jpg)[Robert McDonald](https://www.cato.org/people/robert-mcdonald), Professor of History, Department of History & War Studies, United States Military Academy; Adjunct Scholar 

#### Saturday, August 22

8:00 - 8:45 AM 

**Breakfast**

9:00 - 11:00 AM 

**Workshop: Civil Discourse and Communicating Classical Liberalism on Campus**

11:00 - 11:15 AM 

**Closing Remarks and Group Photo**

11:15 - 11:30 AM 

**Stipend Distribution and Departures**

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