HS Students
Constitutional Democracy Academy
A Summer Enrichment Program for Rising High School Juniors and Seniors
APPLICATIONS OPEN FEBRUARY 1, 2026
A new initiative at the Kinder Institute, the Constitutional Democracy Academy is an academic summer program designed for high school students who are passionate about civic education and who would like to spend a week diving deeply into the subjects of American political history and American political thought.
Through a series of discussion-based seminars led by MU faculty, participants will both tackle questions of historical significance and apply their answers to the current state of U.S. politics. They will, for example, not only consider how the U.S. Constitution was designed to create an effective government that would stay within its limits and not become tyrannical but also turn to the present to assess whether the Constitution has been successful in striking this balance.
Other topics at the Constitutional Democracy Academy might include:
The Constitutional Convention
Separation of Powers and the Control of the Effects of Faction
Founding Mothers
Slavery and the Constitution
The Bill of Rights
The Supreme Court
A brochure for the program can be found here, and contact CDA Director Dr. Rudy Hernandez, HernandezRK@missouri.edu, with any questions.
INTRODUCING THE WALL SCHOLARS PROGRAM
Open to all Mizzou-bound high school seniors who are past participants in the Kinder Institute’s summer Constitutional Democracy Academy, applications for the Kinder Institute Wall Scholars program (KIWS) will open up on October 1, 2025, with a deadline of January 15, 2026. All students (up to four per year) selected as Wall Scholars receive a $5,000 scholarship, renewable each year for up to four years, and enjoy a variety of bespoke academic, professional development, and leadership opportunities. See the call-for-applications below for all details relating to the application process, and use the Wall Scholars tab for a full description of the KIWS program.
Completed applications should be sent to Kinder Institute Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Thomas Kane, at KaneTC@missouri.edu. Any questions should be directed to Dr. Rudy Hernandez, hernandezrk@missouri.edu.
A Look Behind the Scenes
And click here for a photo gallery of last year’s CDA.
Registration Fee, Lodging, and Board
The academy is hosted on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia, and students will be housed in campus residence halls. Residential Advisors will be in dorms with students to advise and assist them.
A non-refundable fee of $100 will be required of accepted applicants to reserve their place. All other expenses associated with the Constitutional Democracy Academy, including meals, lodging, and any program materials, are covered by the Kinder Institute. Some assistance with the registration fee, as well as travel to and from Columbia, is available for those in financial need.
In addition to the daily seminar, students will have the opportunity to participate in a wide array of recreational activities, including film screenings, cultural excursions in Columbia, and more.
Application Requirements and Instructions
Applications for Constitutional Democracy Academy typically consist of the following:
—A 500-word essay describing why you are interested in attending the Kinder Institute’s Constitutional Democracy Academy
—A copy of your current high school transcript
—A letter of recommendation from a teacher or adult mentor (other than a parent), submitted separately from the other application materials by the recommender, also through the Qualtrics link above.
Kinder Institute Wall Scholars Program
Designed for past attendees of the Kinder Institute’s Constitutional Democracy Academy (CDA), the Kinder Institute Wall Scholars program (KIWS) provides an array of academic, professional development, and leadership opportunities for all participants.
Students will, among other things, receive monthly personalized mentorship from a Kinder Institute faculty member; design and lead outreach programs related to the Constitutional Democracy Academy for Missouri high school students; meet with professors and professionals to discuss careers and graduate study opportunities in history, politics, law, and more; and be fully integrated into the intellectual community at the Kinder Institute.
The KIWS program provides a $5,000 scholarship award to all participants, renewable each year for up to four years, pending full and active participation in Wall Scholars programming. In addition, all Wall Scholars will be eligible to participate at some point during their time at Mizzou in a spring semester trip to somewhere deeply connected to American history and the US Constitution.
In addition to being a past CDA attendee, all Wall Scholars must be Constitutional Democracy majors and full participants during their first year in the Kinder Institute Democracy Lab FIG.
KIWS questions can be directed to Dr. Rudy Hernandez, hernandezrk@missouri.edu.