SYP-FLI-01 - Future Leaders Institute

Course Description

Future Leaders Institute (FLI) - Summer 2025

An overnight summer program in Philosophy, Politics, Ethics, and Global Justice.

This program requires an application and students must be admitted into the program before completing the registration on this site. The application is open from January 15-April 1 on the FLI website: Future Leaders Institute

Do not enroll here unless you have received notice of admission from the FLI director via email. Admitted students will receive enrollment instructions from the program staff. If a student enrolls without applying and being accepted, the enrollment will be dropped.If a student enrolls without applying and being accepted, the enrollment will be dropped.

Founded in 2014, The Future Leaders Institute (FLI) offers an overnight philosophy camp for thoughtful high-school students to discuss big ideas in a collaborative environment while making friends and enjoying summer in coastal New Hampshire. Award-winning faculty Nick Smith (UNH Philosophy) and Eden Suoth (Oyster River Social Studies and Fulbright Scholar) bring interdisciplinary and highly interactive learning approaches to immerse students in social and political philosophy and coach them to apply these powerful tools to current issues.

The theme for 2025 is Law and Justice. We will discuss debates related to whether humanity is progressing toward justice, the objectives of punishment, remorseful vs. remorseless offenders, liberty vs. equality in law, freedom of speech, race and class in criminal justice, white collar crime, and the role of artificial intelligence in surveillance and crime control. Daily sessions will include debates and original Ethics Bowl case studies, as well as evening discussions, films, and games related to daily themes.

We aim to introduce students to challenging ideas while creating an emotionally comfortable “pre-college” environment. Past participants have flourished in their cohorts, and we channel this infectious energy toward building leadership and social skills that will serve them well in college and beyond. FLI tends to be an especially good fit for students interested in Ethics Bowl, Socratic Society, Model United Nations, debate, and similar activities.

All students will attend as overnight participants. Roommate requests are made when completing the CampDoc registration questions questions (see below) not at the time of enrollment. Students will be housed in a University residence hall and will eat meals in an award-winning UNH dining hall.

Cost: FLI is very generously supported by the Responsible Governance and Sustainable Citizenship Project (RGSCP). Thanks to this support, FLI is FREE for all accepted participants. Students are expected to cover costs to get to and from UNH, but once here the scholarship covers housing, food, tuition, field trips, and other entertainment. A little “pocket money” is nice but not essential. We request a $200 deposit to secure a place in the program, and we will refund this deposit once the student completes the program. We ask for this deposit because space in the program is limited and highly sought-after. Students who accept the offer but withdraw at the last minute can deprive other deserving students the opportunity to attend. If providing this deposit creates a financial hardship, please email nick.smith@unh.edu.

Details regarding drop off locations, times, and other information are sent via email from program staff to enrolled participants prior to the session start date. Please be sure the email address provided is that of a parent/legal guardian, not the participating student. 

Future Leaders Institute - Summer 2025

Review the blocks below for program information and instructions on enrolling and travel. 

To request a drop from a youth program, email youth.programs@unh.edu or contact the Program Manager (info below). Please include the full name of the participant and clearly state the camp and session(s) to be dropped. 

For questions and more information, contact: nick.smith@unh.edu