Drawing from the riches of the Catholic intellectual and social tradition, the Saint John Henry Newman Undergraduate Program gathers bright and eager students together in order to foster vibrant Catholic culture and community on The Catholic University of America campus.
The Program also exists to integrate various facets of an undergraduate student’s life — social, intellectual, and spiritual — as well as to bring the disciplines of the University into conversation with each other in order to arrive at the whole of Truth. As such, the program is open to undergraduate students of all majors and levels of study.
Students in our Program enjoy reading groups, liturgical and cultural enrichment, and opportunities for paid internships with the IHE and partner institutions. In connection with Passages Israel, we also offer an international pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The goal of the program, to “give to the Republic her best citizens” (Pope Leo XIII), is accomplished by inculcating students with a deep and thriving sense of human ecology. We prepare them to complete their university studies with cultured minds, deepened faith, and civic virtue.
Contact Us
Interested in joining our Undergraduate Program? Contact us at ihe@cua.edu to learn more and find out how to apply.
What We Do
Reading Groups
The Saint John Henry Newman Undergraduate Fellowship program develops reading groups formed around various topics and works each semester. This past year, students read and discussed sections from Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America. These discussions are frequently led by IHE Graduate Fellows, a practice which fosters a sense of community beyond the undergraduate level.
Speakers
Several times a semester, we host speakers from within the University as well as from other prestigious institutions. Past speakers have included Michael Hanby, IHE Fellow Mark Bauerlein, IHE Fellow Lucia Silecchia, Matt Mehan, and many others. Our undergraduate speakers either come to campus for a dinner seminar or deliver a lecture open to all students at Catholic University, followed by a not-to-be-missed reception. Attending these talks provides undergraduate fellows opportunities to meet and gain insights from beyond the classroom.
Conferences
Because the academic community is much larger than Catholic University, the IHE promotes and helps send students to conferences throughout the country. These rich conferences expose our students to ideas they may not have encountered in the classroom and enable them to meet students from other universities. We recently partnered with the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, which seeks to introduce students to “the tradition of liberty and a vibrant community of students and scholars.” ISI provides valuable support, hosting conferences on the markets and civic freedom and providing our undergraduate students with academic resources and books. Learn More About the Intercollegiate Studies Institute
Pilgrimages
Since our undergraduate fellowship is committed not only to the intellectual formation of the participants but also their spiritual wellbeing, the IHE organizes and helps fund a yearly pilgrimage to the Holy Land with the aid of Passages Israel. Our students are able to explore the roots of Christianity, walking where Jesus lived and preached. In the future, we aim to expand our pilgrimages beyond the Holy Land to the Eternal City of Rome and beyond.
Our Students Experience...
- Top-tier professors who bring their Catholic faith into diverse academic fields
- Flexible academic, social, and spiritual programming designed for engagement in the liberal arts
- A Washington, D.C. location that serves as a hub for interesting conversations and speakers
- Engaged, sober-minded peers interested in pursuing the deepest questions
