The Ashbrook Scholar Program is a rigorous and top-rated academic program for a select group of undergraduate students majoring or minoring in Political Science or History at Ashland University. Ashbrook Scholars study with some of the finest faculty in the nation and undertake a program of courses and activities that challenge their mettle and bring out the best qualities of their character. It is a serious program for serious, public-spirited students with a passion for civic leadership.

The number of Ashbrook Scholars admitted to the program has more than doubled over the last five years—from 50 in 2001 to more than 100 in 2006.

Contrary to the alarming statistics citing how little college students know about American history, Ashbrook Scholars not only know American history but also understand what it means to be an American and why our country merits their affection. They come to understand that their country, the United States of America, is not only the most powerful and the most prosperous country on earth, but also that it is the most free and the most just. During their four years at the Center, both in and out of the classroom, they learn why this is so.

An integral part of the education of an Ashbrook Scholar is the hands-on, real-life experience in public affairs provided through internship opportunities. Each summer, Scholars are placed in internship positions at a variety of organizations including think tanks, government offices, non-profit agencies, and businesses around the country. Scholars have interned at The White House, the Heritage Foundation, The Fund for American Studies, The Weekly Standard, Fox News, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Center for Equal Opportunity, The American Conservative Union, The Institute of United States Studies at The University of London, The Washington Times, The Vatican, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and various offices in state and national government.

To learn more about the program or to apply, please visit scholar.ashland.edu.

The following is an excerpt from a guest speaker's letter recounting his visit with students in the Scholar program in the Ashbrook Center: I had a delightful experience by accident after my seminar which, because it so eloquently revealed one of the great accomplishments of the Center, I want to tell you about. I came back to the Center with Peter—it was about 3 p.m. on Saturday—to drop off and pick up a few things. There we found about a dozen students gathered around one of the large tables in the vicinity of Peter's office. They were sharing some buckets of KFC Chicken and bubbling over with contagious camaraderie. Peter introduced me and excused himself to go take care of some business. I sat down with the students, and there began a wonderful half-hour conversation which is especially what I wanted to tell you about. What wonderful students! They were happy, full of energy, completely at home with one another, with the faculty and at the Center. Most importantly, they were completely at home with interesting ideas. They were brimming over with them, overflowing with them. Their intrepid curiosity was like a joyous thirst. 'Do you think it is worth reading Heidegger if you don't know German?' 'Will studying Biblical Greek help in learning Attic Greek?' Their conversation was laced with good-humored and informed references to Platonic dialogues, Aristotle's works, Shakespeare, Kant, Nietzsche, American politics. They talked with great enthusiasm about the most challenging classes and the most challenging teachers. I learned from them that they gather together all the time at the Center to study and work on papers and talk—and it was clear that they loved these times. They seemed to me to be a perfect model of what a student community should be. They were friends who were both supportive of and competitive with one another, mutually engaged in serious study of the most serious things, and taking delight in it all.

Comments from Ashbrook Alumni: "The exposure to the best and brightest minds in the world is not something that can be achieved on many university campuses. A larger university may bring in a political leader to speak to the students at an assembly or for graduation. At no other school does an undergraduate student have the opportunities that the Ashbrook Scholars have to meet and converse with the nation's most influential political leaders on such a consistent basis." "The Ashbrook Program, without a doubt, was the single greatest factor in helping me develop and guide my academic and professional career. The classes and the events provided by the Program engendered in me a deep sense of patriotism, and a heightened understanding and appreciation of the founding principles of our nation. As a result, I have decided to pursue a career in law, government, and public service." "The Ashbrook Center challenges students to think for themselves by reading original texts instead of being taught by a textbook summary where someone else does all of the heavy-lifting. The coursework is taught textually instead of solely contextually. This encourages the student to enter into their own internal dialogue when seeking answers to age-old questions about justice, the best regime, and the best ruler."