UK joins global Reconciliation League as a founding member 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 23, 2026) — The University of Kentucky has joined 12 other founding higher education institutions worldwide in the Reconciliation League, a new nonprofit organization dedicated to preparing future leaders to communicate constructively across political, social and cultural divisions. 

As a founding member, UK joins an international consortium of colleges and universities spanning four continents. Member institutions will prepare student leaders, designated as Reconciliation Fellows, to engage in civil dialogue, critical reasoning and bridge-building across differences. Applications for eligible UK students are now open through Oct. 27.  

“Some of the most valuable learning happens when students get to know people whose lives and experiences are different from their own,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “This fellowship gives UK students a chance to build those relationships with peers around the world, carry thoughtful dialogue and, at times, engage in respectful disagreement as they discover what they can accomplish together. I look forward to seeing how they bring that experience back to UK and the communities they will serve.”  

A global consortium dedicated to dialogue 

The Reconciliation League was intentionally assembled to bring together institutions with distinct histories, traditions, missions and perspectives. In addition to the University of Kentucky, founding U.S. members include Brigham Young University, Fordham University, Lafayette College, Morgan State University, New York University, Pomona College, San Carlos Apache College, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Yale University. International founding members include African Leadership University, Asian University for Women and the London School of Economics, with affiliation from The Posse Foundation. 

The fellowship experience 

Across all member institutions, The Reconciliation League will select an inaugural cohort of 90 Reconciliation Fellows. The program begins in summer 2027 with an intensive eight-week residential experience at either Lafayette College in Pennsylvania or Wroxton College in Oxfordshire, England. A follow-up winter summit will take place in January 2028. 

Fellows will complete a core “Anchor Course” focused on civil discussion across opposing points of view, take specialized classes and spend 10 days in team-building wilderness or cultural immersion experiences. After completing the fellowship, participants will return to their campuses as members of the Reconciliation Corps, where they will carry out capstone bridge-building projects and promote civil discourse in their communities. 

Spiro Maroulis, director of UK’s Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, serves as UK's liaison to the League. As Kentucky’s public flagship and a land-grant university, UK brings that perspective to a coalition grounded in the belief that universities are well positioned to lead constructive engagement across differences. 

"Universities have long been places where people test ideas through reasoned argument, which makes them well suited to teach students how to work through hard problems with people they disagree with,” Maroulis said. “For a land-grant university, that ability matters wherever our graduates go: in class, on teams, in civic life and in their careers. We’re looking for students with genuine intellectual curiosity who are willing to stay in a difficult conversation, and I’d encourage students from every college and major to apply.” 

UK student fellowship applications 

Applications are now open for eligible UK undergraduate students interested in participating in the inaugural Reconciliation Fellowship cohort. UK will nominate four to eight undergraduate student leaders for the program. 

The fellowship is fully funded, covering tuition, room, board and program activities. Participants can earn up to 12 credit hours while developing leadership and dialogue skills alongside students from participating institutions around the world. 

Eligible applicants must be full-time UK undergraduate students who will be sophomores or juniors by fall 2027, have completed at least 30 UK credit hours and hold a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.  

Students from all majors who demonstrate leadership and a commitment to respectful engagement across differences are encouraged to apply online by Oct. 27. For questions or more information, contact UK’s Office of Nationally Competitive Awards at competitiveawards@uky.edu.