Bradley Fellowship Program

The Bradley Fellowship Program is a major part of the Foundation’s program interest in strengthening America’s “intellectual infrastructure” at the higher-education level.  Begun in 1986, the program is a model for influencing the intellectual framework of national life.  It helps fulfill the two basic prerequisites for liberal education -- good teaching and good curriculum -- by enabling colleges and universities to offer students in the advanced stages of graduate work the opportunity to pursue serious studies with excellent teachers.

For the program, the Foundation chooses institutions of higher education each year to support graduate and post-graduate students, who are designated as Bradley Fellows. The Fellows are chosen by each institution upon the recommendation of one or more distinguished professors in the humanities, social sciences, and the law.

In providing useful assistance to young scholars during a critical phase in their education, Bradley Fellowships make it possible for intelligent doctoral candidates and post-doctoral fellows to complete their studies, prepare manuscripts for publication, conduct research, and enhance their competitiveness in the job market.  Of the thousands of past Bradley Fellows, hundreds teach at the country’s most-prestigious colleges and universities, while an equal number are affiliated with research institutes and hold prominent positions in government.