Cole Summers Fellowship 2026 Application

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The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), a pioneering force in the liberty movement since 1946, is thrilled to announce the third cohort of the Cole Summers Fellowship.

The Cole Summers Fellowship is an unpaid fellowship that nurtures talented teenagers from unconventional educational backgrounds, including homeschooling, microschooling, virtual schooling, apprenticeships, and other innovative educational settings. Building on the success of our 2024 pilot, the program combines:

- Weekly lectures from liberty-minded professionals

- Practical communication skills (including writing and speaking) development

- Exploration of educational theory and reform

- Personalized projects aligned with Fellows' interests

The CSF is working to cultivate a pipeline of skilled advocates for the freedom philosophy, benefiting both FEE and aligned organizations, ensuring we continue to provide cutting-edge support for the next generation of liberty-minded leaders.

Program duration ~ 10 weeks ~

Program starts on March 18, 2026

Application Deadline: February 27, 2026 at 5 PM EST


Fellow Expectations
  • Attend at least 8 of the 10 weekly virtual program sessions, happening on Wednesdays at 6 PM EST
  • Complete all assigned projects and readings
  • Meet with mentor consistently at least four times over the course of the program
  • Check-in virtually with program facilitator bi-weekly
  • Publish at least two high quality articles for FEE.org AND/OR create at least three videos, webinars, podcasts, and/or social posts on an approved topic of interest 
  • Attend the graduation showcase at the end of the fellowship program, happening on June 3, 2026

Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted until the deadline.
About You











Essay Response

In this section, we want to know more about your goals and ambitions, to see if this program would be a good fit. Be sure to keep track of the word count. 


Set Up Your Google Drive Folder

Before you begin preparing your additional application materials, please create a Google Drive folder where you will upload all of your documents as you complete them. Follow these steps to set up your folder:

  1. Create a new folder in Google Drive: Go to Google Drive, click the "+ New" button on the left side, and select "New folder." Name the folder with your full name and "Cole Summers Fellowship Application" (e.g., "Jane Smith Cole Summers Fellowship Application").

  2. Set folder permissions to open access: Right-click on the folder and select "Share." In the sharing settings, change "Restricted" to "Anyone with the link."

  3. Keep this folder open: As you complete each application material listed below, upload it to this folder.

If you encounter any issues setting up your folder or adjusting permissions, please refer to Google's help documentation on sharing files and folders.

After your folder is ready, prepare the following materials and upload each one to your Google Drive folder.

Resume or List of Student Experiences

Your resume or list of experiences should outline your educational background, relevant experience, skills, and accomplishments.

Save as a PDF file and upload it to your Google Drive folder.

Headshot

Upload a high-quality headshot photograph of yourself in PNG format to your Google Drive folder. We will use this photo in published materials about you.

Writing Sample (Optional, but encouraged)

Please provide one article as your writing sample. This should be a polished piece that demonstrates your ability to communicate ideas about liberty effectively.

  • If your article is published online, include the direct URL to the article in your cover letter.

  • If your article is not published online, upload a PDF of the article to your Google Drive folder.

Speaking Exercise (Optional, but encouraged)

To help us evaluate your readiness for fellowship exercises, record a brief video of yourself answering this prompt:

If you could meet any philosopher or great thinker, who would it be and why? How do their ideas connect to FEE’s mission?

Submit Your Application

Once you have completed all other sections of this application form, uploaded all your application materials to your Google Drive folder, and opened up the folder’s access permissions as instructed above, paste the Google Drive folder's URL in the field below and click submit.



Contact Information

Depending on the form, FEE may request personal information (such as age, location, or other demographic details) to help us fulfill reporting requirements, improve our programs, or follow up as needed. FEE may use the information you provide to contact you about events, educational materials, or other opportunities consistent with our educational mission and as disclosed at the time of collection. You may receive occasional updates by email, and can unsubscribe at any time. FEE does not sell personal data. If an event is co-hosted, relevant information may be shared with partner organizations. Learn more in our Privacy Policy.