Pack Your Bags

Scholarship resources make it possible for people from many backgrounds and experiences to connect with the Institute community and each other. Every year, approximately 1,000 scholars attend Institute seminars, roundtables, and events across the United States­—there were 345 at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival alone. Whether a scholar needs financial assistance or simply offers a unique perspective not represented around the table, all scholarship recipients deeply enrich the conversations in which they participate. To learn how you can support scholars please contact Katherine Eklund, the Institute’s senior associate for philanthropic partnerships and campaigns, at Katherine.Eklund@aspeninst.org or call 202.736.3511.

“It is hard to think of another occasion when I’ve had the opportunity to be surrounded by luminaries in almost every field imaginable. I watched an amazing movement-art performance, listened to the top minds in the tech industry and tech policy, and met the nation’s leading immigrant-rights activists. The collection of people and experiences is just unparalleled. I’m particularly grateful to the Aspen Ideas Festival scholars and events teams, who made my visit seamless.”

– Alvaro Bedoya, 2017 Aspen Ideas Festival scholar; executive director, Center on Privacy & Technology, Georgetown University Law Center

“As someone deeply involved in political and policy debates in our country, having the opportunity to read some of the nation’s important, fundamental documents—such as the Lincoln-Douglas debates, the Seneca Falls Declaration, and Martin Luther King’s Letter From Birmingham Jail—was an intellectual treat. The Socrates seminar provided a much-needed opportunity to wrestle with hard questions of American identity and democracy—and to do so with such thoughtful and different colleagues.”

Maria Echaveste, 2017 Socrates Program scholar; policy and program development director, Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy, Berkeley School of Law

Policy 101

Join the Aspen Policy Academy to learn the basics of the policy process in this 1-hour webinar.
Blog Posts

Leadership Redefined

Now more than ever, the path to meaningful, durable change lies in proximity — in being deeply rooted in the communities we serve, and committed to walking alongside them. This means moving beyond surface-level solutions, beyond reactive cycles, and toward a model of leadership grounded in deep relationships, trust, and shared purpose.

How to Tell Governments What You Think

Learn how to tell government actors what you think about their ideas in this 1-hour webinar.

Flash Seminar: Rooting Our Leadership in Humanity – August 2025

Get a glimpse into what the Aspen method of text-based dialogue can do to strengthen the connection between your leadership and your values

Writing a Public Comment

Learn a framework for writing effective public comments in this 1-hour webinar.
Blog Posts

Leadership for Large-Scale Change

On May 1–2, 2025, the Aspen Institute and the Higher Ambition Leadership Alliance convened 100 experienced practitioners — nonprofit and foundation leaders, former government administrators, CEOs, and scholars — to discuss “Leadership for Large-Scale Change.”

AI x Power Action Roundtable at the 2024 Action Forum
Blog Posts

AI governance requires trustworthy, values-driven leadership

What does values-driven leadership look like in the world of artificial intelligence (AI)? And what responsibilities do AI consumers have?

Joe Waring and Justin Habash
Blog Posts

Values in Action: How the Medal of Honor Center is Redefining Leadership Development

The National Medal of Honor Center for Leadership is transforming how we understand and teach values-based leadership. In this Behind the Impact interview, we speak with Joe Waring (Liberty Fellow) who serves on the Center’s board, and Dr. Justin Habash, the Center’s Senior Vice President of Leadership Programs and Chief Learning Officer. Together, they share insights on how Medal of Honor values translate to everyday leadership decisions, the power of moral courage, and why this approach to leadership development is especially relevant in today’s rapidly changing world.