Applications are open through April 6 for students who want to strengthen their capacity for curious disagreement
Elon University and the Viewpoints Fellowship are entering the second year of their partnership, offering Elon student leaders a paid opportunity to strengthen leadership skills, navigate disagreement productively and foster healthier conversations across campus.
Applications for the 2026-27 Fellowship are currently open, and there are spots saved for Elon students who are ready to build skills in dialogue, conflict navigation and team leadership that translate directly into their campus roles.
The Viewpoints Fellowship is a nine-month, stipended program designed for student leaders who want to lead stronger teams and build cultures where honest dialogue is possible. Through training, mentorship, and hands-on projects, fellows learn practical approaches to addressing conflict, engaging differences with curiosity, and creating spaces where diverse perspectives can be heard.
“We are excited to continue this partnership and expand opportunities for Elon students to develop the skills needed to lead,” said Hillary Zaken, director of multifaith programming and engagement in the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life at Elon. “The fellowship helps student leaders move beyond avoiding tough conversations and instead equips them to guide them thoughtfully, constructively and with curiousity.”
The fellowship builds campus-based cohorts of student leaders from universities across the country. Participants engage in an interdisciplinary approach to understanding difference and disagreement, then apply what they learn by creating programs within their own student organizations and communities.
For current fellow Jacob Bradshaw, president of Milk Club, learning started from the beginning of the Fellowship experience: “In order to discuss something, I don’t always have to be an expert on it or have a perfect argument. It’s more important to have civil discussions with room for error than to not have any discussions at all.”
Current fellows are hosting their capstone on April 11, a program entitled “Disagree Curiously.” Participants will engage in structured, respectful dialogue through rotating roundtables, guided prompts, and facilitated moments of tension that spark understanding rather than division. From playful debates (2% chocolate milk or white milk, etc) to real-world issues that matter, participants will practice civil discourse alongside faculty, facilitators and a moderator who helps model what it means to disagree well.
Fellowship Overview
The program begins with an all-expenses-paid retreat held September 4–6, 2026, where fellows participate in workshops, mentorship, collaborative activities, and reflection focused on constructive disagreement, emotional resilience, storytelling, and community building. Fellows then work with mentors to design and lead a custom program within their student organization. Later in the year, participants reconvene for a winter retreat to share insights and develop campus-wide capstone initiatives that engage the broader community.
Eligibility
The fellowship is open to current freshmen, sophomores and juniors who will be on campus during the 2026–27 academic year and who hold formal or informal leadership roles in student organizations, fraternities or sororities, or other campus communities.
What Fellows Receive
- Training in navigating difficult conversations, conflict and civil discourse
- One-on-one mentorship
- A LinkedIn certification in Curious Disagreement
- Access to a national network of student leaders
- A $1,000 stipend and an all-expenses-paid fall retreat
What Fellows Do
- Develop and lead programming in their student organizations focused on curious disagreement
- Collaborate with other student leaders to design and implement a campus capstone project
- Build dialogue and leadership skills through workshops, retreats, and mentorship
Fellows will receive a $1,000 stipend for their participation and may return as trainers the following year. Learn more here: 2026-2027 FAQ for Fellows
Applications for the 2026–27 Viewpoints Fellowship are now open. The deadline to apply has been extended to April 6 and selected fellows will be notified in mid-April.
Students can apply at tinyurl.com/vpf2026 or contact hzaken@elon.edu with questions.
About the Viewpoints Fellowship
The Viewpoints Fellowship centers on three core questions: why it is difficult to approach disagreement with curiosity, why it remains essential and how students can build that approach within their communities. By combining leadership development with hands-on application, the fellowship prepares students to lead more effectively in an increasingly complex and divided world.