Gather with fellow student writers for a week of training, coaching, and learning.
ABOUT VERITAS INSTITUTE:
Veritas Institute is a week-long formation experience for students interested in being public Christian voices after college. It trains students to communicate the plausibility of religious faith in the modern world and familiarizes them with relevant professional pathways. Accepted students attend for free.
The topic we will be exploring this year isThe Human Person in a (Post-) Secular Age. We hope you will join us.
ABOUT VERITAS INSTITUTE:
Veritas Institute is a week-long formation experience for students interested in being public Christian voices after college. It trains students to communicate the plausibility of religious faith in the modern world and familiarizes them with relevant professional pathways. Accepted students attend for free.
The topic we will be exploring this year isThe Human Person in a (Post-) Secular Age. We hope you will join us.
What To Expect
The 2025 Veritas Institute will take place at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., from Tuesday, May 27th to Sunday, June 1st, 2025.
This year's topic is “The Human Person in a (Post-) Secular Age." Scholars, journalists, and other Christian leaders will explore with you the craft of writing and discuss how Christianity interacts with questions about human nature.
Why You Should Attend
The Veritas Institute includes opportunities to:
Meet, think, discuss, write, edit, pray, and explore Washington, D.C. with fellow students from across the country
Learn from top scholars about the plausibility of religious faith in the modern world
Receive direct coaching from top notch writers and editors on public thinking and writing
Hear from successful professionals about career pathways for being a Christian public voice after college
A Duke '23: "Veritas Institute helped me take time out of a busy summer to think about the big questions of life. In particular, it gave me the space to think about virtue, human flourishing, and intellectual humility. Learning from top scholars and journalists was truly a privilege. I feel better equipped to communicate effectively about science and virtue from a Christian perspective."
A Williams '23: "I am a better writer today because of The Veritas Institute, which connected me with a professional editor who gave me personal feedback that sharpened my writing and challenged my ideas."
A Yale ‘21: “Honestly, I think the institute was pretty life-changing in the sense that it has been the culmination of a long process of thinking about writing and the role that it has in my life. I came to the decision that reading widely and writing for the public audience is genuinely a thing that I want to make a part of my lifestyle moving forward, even if I'm unable to do it full time.”
Skills Training
Students are put into writing cohorts with other student attendees to receive coaching throughout the week and form friendships with their peers in cohorts. Students meet with a top professionals to learn about crafts involved in public writing and thinking and journey through the week together.
Countdown to the Institute
Speakers + Coaches
Speakers
Over the course of six days, our session speakers will explore and discuss how Christianity interacts with questions about human nature. Past speakers include Ross Andersen, Lydia Dugdale, Jennifer Herdt, L.M. Sacasas, Praveen Sethupathy, Roz Picard, Zena Hitz, Karin Öberg, Christine Emba, Miroslav Volf, Christian Miller, Tyler VanderWeele, and more!
Lori Branch
University of Iowa
Lori Branch
University of Iowa
Lori Peterson Branch is Associate Professor of Restoration and Eighteenth-Century English Literature at the University of Iowa. She has published widely on literature, religion, and the postsecular, from the fourth-century Sayings of the Desert Fathers to seventeenth-century Dissent, contemporary Gothic novels, and Eastern Orthodoxy. She earned her PhD in English from Indiana University. With her collaborator Mark Knight, she has co-taught two NEH Summer Seminars for faculty on religion, secularism, and the novel. She edits the monograph series Literature, Religion, and Postsecular Studies for Ohio State University Press and is currently at work on a book project titled Beyond Secularism: Postsecular Reason, an interdisciplinary manifesto for moving the humanities and social sciences beyond the secular-religious binary birthed in modernity.
Satyan Devadoss
University of San Diego
Satyan Devadoss
University of San Diego
Satyan Devadoss is the Fletcher Jones professor of applied mathematics and professor of computer science at the University of San Diego. He was faculty at Williams for nearly 15 years, and has held visiting positions at Ohio State, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, Harvey Mudd, and Stanford. A fellow of the American Mathematical Society and recipient of two national teaching awards, his thoughts have appeared in venues such as NPR, the Times of London, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. He is a satisfactory father to four, a grandfather to one, and married to a queen.
Tom Holland
Author
Tom Holland
Author
Having brought history to life through his numerous books and media appearances, Tom Holland is undoubtedly the country’s best-known historian. Providing fascinating insight into the greatest civilisations in world history, Tom has continued to inspire professionals and history buffs across the United Kingdom and beyond.
An immensely prolific author, Tom has an incredible array of top publications to his name. His stand-out work on the Roman Empire, Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic, received valuable recognition from historians and readers alike. The work was awarded the prestigious Hessell-Tiltman Prize for History, as well as appearing on a shortlist for the Samuel Johnson Prize.
Tom’s second work, Persian Fire: The First World Empire and the Battle for the West, represented an exhilarating chronicle of the Graeco-Persian Wars. Proving to be a hit with the public, the work achieved widespread acclaim, winning him a Runciman Award in the process. Numerous other works followed, including books on the rise of Christendom and Islam, as well as a book on the collapse of Roman and Persian power in the East. Last but not least, his translation of Herodotus – which found a literary home with iconic publisher Penguin – brought him further acclaim.
Continuing to expand on his impressive literary output, books such as Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar and Athelstan: The Making of England have continued to cement his position as a leading historian. Demonstrating a unique ability to bring history to life no matter the audience, Tom’s unrelenting passion for his field has seen him embark on a rewarding career as one of the nation’s most unique after dinner speakers.
Unsurprisingly, Tom has also become a familiar face in the media. He has presented television documentaries covering a wide range of topics, as well as becoming the presenter for BBC Radio 4’s Making History. Receiving recognition for his contribution to the promotion of Ancient Roman- and Greek culture, he was awarded a Classical Association prize in 2007.
Molly Worthen
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Molly Worthen
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Molly Worthen is an associate professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a freelance journalist. She received her PhD from Yale University. Her research focuses on North American religious and intellectual history. Her forthcoming book is Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Trump (Random House, 2025). Previous books include Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism (Oxford 2014). She has also created courses for Audible and The Great Courses on the history of global Christianity since the Reformation and on charismatic leaders in American history.
Worthen writes regularly about religion, politics, and higher education for the New York Times and has also written for the New Yorker, Slate, the Atlantic, and other publications.
More To Be Announced
Coming Soon
More To Be Announced
Coming Soon
Writing Coaches
Writers and editors from well-known publications will lead our writing cohorts, share their expertise, and provide direct feedback to attendees. Past writing coaches include Caitrin Keiper, Samuel Matlack, B.D. McClay, Leah Libresco Sargeant, and Mene Ukueberuwa.
To Be Announced
Coming Soon
To Be Announced
Coming Soon
Veritas Institute Schedule
We look forward to a meaningful week together as we explore the topic, "“The Human Person in a (Post-) Secular Age.”" Please note that this is ONLY A REPRESENTATIVE SCHEDULE and details will change before the week begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
More information to come.
Veritas Institute FAQs
Basic Information
The Veritas Institute is a week-long formation experience for students interested in being public Christian voices after college. It trains students to communicate the plausibility of religious faith in the modern world and familiarizes them with relevant professional pathways. The Veritas Institute is run by the University Partnerships department at The Veritas Forum. During the Institute, students interact with Christian scholars and writers, share experiences with peers from other campuses, and experience a time of learning, training, and encouragement
To meet, think, discuss, write, edit, and pray with fellow students from across the country? To hear from and interact with fantastic speakers? To receive direct coaching from top notch writers and editors on the crafts of public thinking and writing? To learn about professional pathways for being a public voice? To explore Washington, D.C.? Pick your reason! Whatever brings you to the Institute, we’re thrilled to have you apply.
The final schedule is still to come, but you can see a representative schedule above. It will conclude the morning of Sunday, June 1st. The week will consist of a mix of content sessions, workshops and seminars, office hours, free write time, and field trips.
Speakers and coaches include Lori Branch, Satyan Devadoss, Molly Worthen, and Tom Holland, with more to be announced. The theme is “The Human Person in a (Post-) Secular Age.”
The Catholic University of America (CUA) will host this year’s Institute (as a location; the University is not otherwise engaged in sponsoring the program). The University is just a short metro ride from many of D.C.’s main attractions.
CUA is located at 620 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, D.C. 20064.
This is no fee to attend, and all meals provided on site are free. Lodging at CUA (in a dorm building) is also covered. The cost to you of your travel will depend upon the following:
- If accepted students submit a reimbursement form before the travel receipts deadline (to be announced), they will receive 100% reimbursement for the cost of their primary method of travel. Travel reimbursements can be submitted at a link to be provided.
- If you do not submit your reimbursements by the travel receipt deadline, then you will be responsible for the full cost of your own travel.
Meals en route or any meals, snacks, coffee, etc not provided as part of the official schedule will not be covered.
Any souvenirs or other incidental costs you incur in D.C. will not be covered.
Please note the following transportation costs will also not be covered:
- - Ground transportation from your summer location to an airport, train station, or bus station
- - Ground transportation from a D.C. airport, train station, or bus station to CUA
- - Ground transportation from CUA to a D.C. airport, train station, or bus station
- - Ground transportation from an airport, train station, or bus station to your summer location
If you are flying or taking a train or bus into D.C., please plan accordingly. The metro (subway) in D.C. will be much cheaper than a taxi/Uber/Lyft. CUA is very close to the Brookland-CUA metro stop on D.C.’s red line.
- -Friday, December 20th, 2024: Application Opens
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- -Monday, March 31st, 2025 11:59 pm EST: Application Closes
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- -Sunday, April 6th, 2025 11:59 pm EST: Travel Receipts for Student Purchased Travel Due
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- -Thursday, April 10th, 2025 11:59 pm EST: Final Admissions off Waitlist Issued
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- -Tuesday, May 27th, 20245 Conference Begins
You can apply for the Institute by clicking on this link.
The application deadline is Monday, March 31st at 11:59 pm ET (email augustine@veritas.org to inquire about submitting a late application). at 11:59 pm ET (email augustine@veritas.org to inquire about submitting a late application).
Our general expectation is that student attendees stay for the entire duration of the week. If you have any concerns about staying for the whole week, please do let us know at augustine@veritas.org and we can discuss it with you further.
If you have been accepted to the program, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your spot. At that point, you can withdraw your application if you are not able to confirm your attendance. However, if you do confirm your spot, we consider it a firm commitment that you will attend and we would strongly ask that you not cancel after that time unless for a genuine emergency.
Please note that if you do cancel for any non-emergency reasons after purchasing your travel, we will not reimburse you for any travel you purchased and we will ask you to return any money received for your travel reimbursement. Of course, if a true emergency arises, such as a medical or family situation, you should cancel and we will still reimburse your travel. Please email us at augustine@veritas.org if this situation applies to you.
Travel Logistics and Cost
In general, we would like attending students to prioritize travel options in the following order:
- 1. Driving personal cars (we will reimburse gas and parking costs by receipt)
- 2. Bus (unless timing isn’t feasible given Institute events)
- 3. Rental Cars (unless a train is less expensive)
- 4. Train (unless a plane are less expensive)
- 5. Plane (reserved for students that are too far for other forms of transport)
We are asking students to book the most affordable option available to them, but this will be on “the honor system”—we do not need to confirm the option before you purchase any tickets.
If you need to come to the conference from a location outside the U.S. or there is some other reason you expect your travel to be especially expensive, please contact us at augustine@veritas.org in order to confirm that this is possible.
- If accepted students submit a reimbursement form before the travel receipts deadline (Sunday, April 6th, 2024) then you will receive 100% reimbursement for the cost of your primary method of travel. Travel reimbursements can be submitted here.
- If you do not submit your reimbursements by the travel receipt deadline, then you will be responsible for the full cost of your own travel
Please note the following transportation costs will not be covered:
- - Ground transportation from your summer location to an airport, train station, or bus station
- - Ground transportation from a D.C. airport, train station, or bus station to CUA
- - Ground transportation from CUA to a D.C. airport, train station, or bus station
- - Ground transportation from an airport, train station, or bus station to your summer location
If you are flying or taking a train or bus into the D.C. airport, please plan accordingly. The metro (subway) in D.C. will be much cheaper than a taxi/Uber/Lyft. CUA is very close to the Brookland-CUA metro stop on D.C.’s red line.
We ask each student to purchase their own travel, and then submit a reimbursement before the travel receipts deadline If you are unable to front the cost of your travel, please let us know and we can purchase it for you.
Location, Lodging, and Meals
The Catholic University of America (CUA) will host this year’s Institute (as a location; the University is not otherwise engaged in sponsoring the program). The University is just a short metro ride from many of D.C.’s main attractions.
Campus location: 620 Michigan Ave NE, Washington, DC 20064
At CUA, you will have access to the classroom spaces we will be using and your dorm room. In addition, you will have guest access to the dining hall, the library, and a modest gym space.
Lodging will be in Opus Hall at CUA. Students will be placed in a four-bedroom suite, with each student getting his or her own bedroom. Each suite has a bathroom and a living room. A linen set (two sheets, two towels, pillow, and pillowcase) will be provided but if you would like additional bedding you can bring your own. The rooms will have WiFi access and an air conditioner unit. Free laundry machines are available on the lobby level (first floor).
If you have any questions about the lodging, feel free to be in touch.
For most of the week the dress code is dressy casual. You should also bring your own toiletries (toothpaste, shower soap or body wash, hand soap, shampoo, etc). You may also wish to bring a water bottle, a notebook, and other items you’d want for a week-long program of this kind. We will make at least one more casual trip off site, so make sure to bring some clothes for walking around as well. You will want to bring one business outfit as well.
Yes. The application for the Institute asked for this information, but if you did not provide it at that time please let us know at augustine@veritas.org.
We do not currently expect any such regulations.
Schedule
The final schedule is still to come, but you can see the representative schedule above. It will conclude on the morning of Sunday, June 1st. The week will consist of a mix of content sessions, writing workshops and seminars, office hours, free write time, and field trips.
Speakers and coaches include Lori Branch, Satyan Devadoss, Molly Worthen, and Tom Holland, with more to be announced. The theme is “The Human Person in a (Post-)Secular Age.”
Information to come!
Any necessary preparation, pre-work, and pre-reads will be announced to attending students.
Other Questions
With any questions, please email the Augustine Collective team at augustine@veritas.org.
Apply for Veritas Institute
Space is limited for this week-long training, so we encourage you to apply early.
If you have any questions, please email us at augustine@veritas.org.
Application Deadline: March 31st (email augustine@veritas.org to inquire about submitting a late application)
