In the six months since assuming administration of the Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellows program in January 2008, CIC has arranged for 113 campus visits at 104 colleges and universities, considerably more than the number of visits scheduled in recent years.

CIC also has designated a number of prominent professionals as new Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellows.

Visiting Fellows spend a week immersed in campus culture and activities. As veteran speakers whose expertise often cuts across academic disciplines, they create common ground with students, faculty members, and community members alike. Fellows’ visits also bring into sharp focus the importance of a liberal arts education to the world beyond the classroom. As one campus president wrote in his evaluation of a campus visit, “Your Fellows encourage our students, faculty, and administration to think better and truly connect with the communities around us.”

CIC Senior Advisor Roger Bowen, director of the Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellows program, said, “It is extraordinarily gratifying to work with such talented Fellows who are willing to commit a full week of their busy lives in intensive work on our campuses. It is equally gratifying to receive the follow-up reports from campuses telling of the profound impact Fellows have had.”

With the surge of interest in the Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellows program, CIC intends to expand the roster of Fellows, particularly by adding experts in science, studio arts, Asian and Middle Eastern affairs, writing, the environment, and contemporary American politics. Nominations of potential Fellows may be sent to Bowen at rbowen@cic.nche.edu.

The Fellows program, available to all four-year colleges and universities, brings prominent artists, diplomats, journalists, business leaders, and other nonacademic professionals to campuses across the United States for a week-long residential program of classes, seminars, workshops, lectures, and informal discussions. For 35 years, Visiting Fellows have been introducing students and faculty members at liberal arts colleges to a wide range of perspectives on life, society, community, and achievement.

Colleges interested in hosting a Fellow should submit an application (the form is available on the CIC website). Colleges request specific Fellows, and then CIC staff match the requests with these Fellows or those who have expertise in the college’s area of interest. The college approves the final arrangement.

More information and a full roster of Fellows is available here.