The United States is facing unprecedented challenges, both at home and abroad. Many of the world’s most powerful corporations, financial institutions, Wall Street goliaths, colleges and universities, and nonprofit organizations are now working hand-in-hand with government to limit freedoms and fundamentally transform our society. Just as troubling, foreign adversaries are working tirelessly to sow division and discord in our already highly divided nation.
America is facing incredibly difficult challenges, and the rapid development of emerging technologies will make those problems even more difficult in the years ahead. Artificial intelligence, automation, advanced algorithms, and deepfakes will undermine people’s understanding of the truth and create massive amounts of economic and social disruption. If our country doesn’t change course soon, it won’t survive.
America’s best and perhaps only hope is that a new generation of young leaders in business, academia, journalism, finance, and public policy will rise to meet the challenges of this remarkable time. It’s not enough that young people be devoted to the cause of liberty. They must also know how to uncover the truth about the institutions seeking to undermine freedom, convey important information to the public and decision-makers, and turn largely unknown yet important issues into headline-grabbing news stories that have the potential to change history.
Mercury One is not standing idly by. In June (or perhaps July), its launching a revolutionary new program called the Freedom Rising Fellowship, which will provide to a select group of highly talented young Americans the tools they need to become influential world-changers. Over the course of a four-month term, fellows will learn to:
- Discover new and emerging issues in public policy, economics, business, and culture
- Inform the public through major print and digital publications
- Convey important information on television, podcasts, and radio
- Educate state and federal lawmakers about important topics facing the nation
The Mercury One fellowship program is staffed by a team of experts in writing, media, journalism, research, and public policy from The Heartland Institute, and it’s led by New York Times bestselling author Justin Haskins. The program will include some limited in-person meetings, but it will primarily be conducted remotely.
Over a four-month period, fellows will work with Haskins and his team on groundbreaking research and far-reaching public policy issues. They will learn to discover new topics of importance, write op-eds for public consumption, convey information on television and radio, and produce informational publications used by lawmakers.
The program is highly selective and will only accept three to four new members for the Summer 2024 term. Those interested in applying should review the information below and then submit an application to [email protected] prior to the upcoming term deadline. The application deadline for the upcoming Summer 2024 term is May 31 (it was previously May 13).
Important Information for Applicants
- The Summer 2024 term will begin in June. The specific start time will be determined at a later date
- The age limit for fellows is 21-35 years old. (For exceptional applicants, we will make exceptions.)
- Three to four fellows will be selected for the Summer 2024 term
- The term will last for four months, from mid-June 2024 to mid-October 2024
- Fellows will be expected to work part-time.
- Fellows will be required to travel for at least two in-person meetings, and they are expected to cover their own travel costs. In-person meetings will occur in Texas and Chicago. All other work will be done remotely.
- Fellows will meet remotely at least once each week with program staff and will be expected to communicate via text and email frequently
- The Mercury One Freedom Rising Fellowship is provided to fellows at no cost, and fellows do not receive monetary compensation.
Those who are interested in applying for the Summer 2024 term should send a resume or CV, two writing samples, and a brief statement explaining their interest for joining the program to [email protected]. The application deadline is May 31, 2024.