The Zephyr Institute’s Junior Fellowship Program is a semester-long seminar series for Stanford undergraduates that address a range of themes in the humanities, including literature, history, philosophy, and politics. The Fellowship provides intellectually curious and highly motivated students with a chance to pursue their passion for examining life’s big questions beyond the ordinary structure of the university classroom.

Throughout the semester, Junior Fellows participate in four to five rigorous instructor-led seminars. They work through texts and ideas that provoke them to enrich their studies, pursue truth, and lead better lives. The Junior Fellowship program also fosters lifelong habits of learning, providing fellows with opportunities to continue their intellectual pursuits even after they graduate. Upon completing the program, Junior Fellows join the wider Zephyr intellectual community. They are invited to participate in special lectures, masterclasses, conferences, and intellectual retreats.

Admission is competitive and considered at the start of each semester. Successful applicants will receive a stipend, conditional on completing the readings and attending all the seminars. Seminars run between one and two hours; and readings for each seminar, generally an essay or excerpt taken from a longer work, take approximately the same length of time to complete.

For questions about the fellowship, please contact Nathan Pinkoski (npinkoski@zephyr.org).