Thank you for your interest in the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement 2026-2027 Fellows Program.
About the Center
The UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement explores the intersection of expression, engagement and democratic learning and considers what can be done to restore trust in the value of free speech on college campuses and within society at large.
Born at UC Berkeley in the 1960s, the Free Speech Movement changed the way Americans viewed the First Amendment. Today, a renewed wave of activism, controversy and backlash on college campuses is once again forcing institutions of higher learning to grapple with questions of open expression, academic freedom and civic engagement.
Continuing UC’s legacy of leading edge influence, the Center has created numerous entry points for nuanced exploration and discovery of today’s campus challenges. These include workshops, presentations, webinars, podcasts, an annual conference, convenings, research and fellowship opportunities.
About the Center Fellowship
Each year, the Center selects fellows from a broad range of disciplines and backgrounds such as law, journalism, higher education, social science, technology and government. The Center welcomes candidates from all backgrounds to apply, and invites a wide range of innovative projects. As part of the University of California, the Center is committed to promoting diversity and equal opportunity in its education, services and administration, as well as research and creative activity.
Over the course of the fellowship, each fellow completes a project. Work products can take many forms such as (but not limited to) qualitative/quantitative research, curricular modules, toolkits or training programs/pilots. We are focused on projects that address current issues affecting students, staff, administrators and faculty and will have a direct impact on individuals and communities across campuses. For more information about the work of previous fellows, click here.
As a Center fellow, you will be welcomed into a community of practitioners, students, educators and scholars who share the common purpose of advancing the mission of the Center. Incoming fellows are connected with former fellows and become part of a larger national network of higher education stakeholders, advocates and policymakers.
This 18 month non-residential fellowship will run from July 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027. Selected fellowships will be awarded $15,000 to support their work.
This year we are particularly interested in projects that address the following issues:
- How best to safeguard academic freedom in response to the national and global climate including executive and legislative assaults and other threats to the creation and transmission of knowledge;
- Exploring the interaction between anti-discrimination laws and expression on campus;
- Navigating values-based polarization and political partisanship in higher education;
- The role of AI and/or social media in the future of free speech and civic engagement in higher education;
- Higher education’s role in supporting democracy and democratic learning;
- Strategies for engaging students, faculty, and staff in democratic governance and policy making at the institutional, local, and national level;
- The relationship between civic engagement and anti-authoritarianism;
- The intersection of campus climate and expression, including the impact of national and international events.
Fellowship Expectations
Fellows will devote the first year of the fellowship to research and development of their work products, with completion expected by June 30, 2027. During this period, fellows will submit written updates on their progress to Center team members and receive feedback and guidance.
During the final six months, fellows will engage the broader public with their work. This engagement will include participation in Center programming or marketing initiatives, such as a Fellows in the Field workshop; writing an op-ed; submitting proposals for conference presentations or journal publications; presenting to a campus cohort or other university audiences.
Fellows are expected to engage with the incoming cohort of fellows as well as participate in monthly virtual meetings and two two-day colloquia, held at or near a UC campus or at the UC Center in Washington, D.C. These in-person meetings are typically held between August-October. Travel and accommodations will be covered by the Center.
Involvement and interaction with the UC community is critical to the Center’s mission. Over the course of the program, fellows will be provided access to resources and connections throughout the 10-campus UC system as befits their research.
Applications are due by Monday, March 30, 2026, at midnight. If you have questions, please feel free to contact freespeechcenter@uci.edu.