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. While the topics for each Cato University program will vary, the goal remains to bring together outstanding faculty and participants from across the country who share a commitment to liberty and learning and to provide participants an opportunity to form an enduring community through a one-of-a-kind experience.
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.
Applicants will be notified of their status on a rolling basis. The deadline for applications is Monday, July 1, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. EDT. If you have any questions or need assistance applying, please email our staff at events@cato.org.
| 4:00 — 6:00 PM |
Registration (Hotel Lobby)
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| 6:00 — 7:00 PM |
Opening Reception
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| 7:00 — 9:00 PM |
Dinner and Keynote Address: The First Amendment on Campus
Nadine Strossen, John Marshall Harlan II Professor of Law Emerita at New York Law School and past President of the American Civil Liberties Union (1991–2008)
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| 8:00 — 9:00 AM |
Breakfast
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| 9:00 — 10:15 AM |
Keynote Address
The American Theory of Government: First Come Rights, Then Comes Government
Randy E. Barnett, Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Legal Theory, Georgetown University Law Center
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| 10:15 — 10:45 AM |
Break
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| 10:45 — 11:30 AM |
The Problem of Over‐Criminalization
Clark Neily, Senior Vice President for Legal Studies
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| 11:30 AM — 12:00 PM |
Know Your Rights: A Practical Guide for Interacting with Law Enforcement
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| 12:00 — 1:30 PM |
Lunch
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| 1:30 — 2:30 PM |
The Roots of Polarization and Its Impact on Politics
Andrew Hanauer, President and CEO, One America Movement
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| 2:30 — 3:00 PM |
Break
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| 3:00 — 4:00 PM |
Breakout Sessions
A. Communication Across Differences on Campus
Erec Smith, Research Fellow, Cato Institute
B. The Moral Principles of Libertarianism
Paul Meany, Intellectual History Editor, Libertarianism.org
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| 5:00 PM |
Bus Transfer to the Cato Institute
|
| 6:00 — 7:00 PM |
Networking Reception with Cato Scholars
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| 7:00 — 9:00 PM |
Dinner and Keynote Address
Rise of the Warrior Cop: The Militarization of America’s Police Forces
Radley Balko, The Washington Post
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| 9:00 PM |
Bus Transfer to Hotel
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| 8:00 - 9:00 AM |
Breakfast
|
| 9:00 - 10:00 AM |
A History of the Executive Power
Gene Healy, Senior Vice President for Policy, Cato Institute
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| 10:00 - 10:15 AM |
Break
|
| 10:15 - 11:00 AM |
State Power and Private Power: What Role for Antitrust?
Donald J. Boudreaux, Professor of Economics, George Mason University and Adjunct Scholar, Cato Institute
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| 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
The Presidency and Foreign Policy
Doug Bandow, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute, in conversation with Gene Healy
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| 12:00 - 1:00 PM |
Lunch
|
| 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM |
Professional Development Panel Q&A Session
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| 1:45 - 3:00 PM |
Small Group Conversations
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| 3:00 - 3:30 PM |
Break
|
| 3:30 - 4:30 PM |
Closing Keynote Address
Human Progress: Evidence and Interpretation
Marian Tupy, Founder and Editor, Humanprogress.org
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| 4:30 - 5:00 PM |
Certificate and Stipend Distribution
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| 6:30 - 9:00 PM |
Closing Reception & Dinner
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| 8:00 — 10:00 AM |
Continental Breakfast and Departures
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