Every September, rising seniors in the Fisher Family Honors Program travel to the nation’s capital for CDDRL’s Honors College. This immersive, week-long program gives students an inside look at the institutions and experts in Washington, D.C., who are shaping global debates and working to advance democracy and development around the world.

Throughout the week, students will dive into the challenges and advantages of empowering local democratic activists with speakers at the National Endowment for Democracy, examine scholarship and debates shaping the field of democracy studies at the Journal of Democracy, explore the intersection of technology and national security at Anthropic, and gain insights into global strategy and governance from scholars at Brookings, RAND, and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, among other exciting site visits. They are also encouraged to use this time to connect with experts related to their thesis question.

CDDRL’s Fisher Family Honors Program brings together undergraduates from diverse fields and methodologies who share a passion for understanding democracy, development, and the rule of law. The program challenges students to carry out original, policy-relevant research on these topics and produce a coherent, eloquently argued, and well-written honors thesis.

This year's Honors College begins on Sunday, September 13. It will be led by Stephen Stedman, Senior Fellow and Director of the Fisher Family Honors Program; Kathryn Stoner, Mosbacher Director of CDDRL and Satre Family Senior Fellow at FSI; and honors alumna Shayla Fitzsimmons-Call, class of 2026.