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On June 11, 1776, the Continental Congress appointed a Committee of Five to draft a Declaration of Independence. This committee included Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. On June 11, 2026, 250 years later, ���Ĵ�ý will gather a collection of scholars, alumni, and friends to discuss the significance of what that Committee of Five started so long ago. This timely and celebratory Summer College experience will not only reflect on the events that led to that Declaration but its legacy in the lives of presidents, government institutions, and the American people.

There will be no better time or location to discuss the legacy of 1776 in America than at W&L with a group of our own incisive professors, led by Lucas Morel, John K. Boardman Jr. Professor of Politics and Provost Faculty Fellow. Morel will offer a perspective about the founding that comes from his own much-cited work on Abraham Lincoln, his appointment as the Mellon Academic Leadership Fellow, and his long career in explicating the soul of American politics. Joining Professor Morel will be Associate Professor of Politics Brian Alexander, whose recent work on Jefferson has made a huge impact on the state of current federal procedure. His definitive edition of Thomas Jefferson’s “A Manual of Parliamentary Practice” was just published, and it has already officially changed how Congress currently conducts itself. We will also be joined by distinguished guest Cara Rogers Stevens, author of the award-winning “Thomas Jefferson and the Fight against Slavery” (University Press of Kansas P 2024) and associate professor of history at Ashland University. 

Program Cost: $1,000 per person
On-campus Housing (private room in dormitory setting): $25 per person per night
On-campus Guest House Accommodations (first-come, first-served):

• Morris House: $80 per night
• Belfield: $95 per night

To reserve guest house accommodations, please call Lifelong Learning directly, as these rooms cannot be reserved online.

Optional Add-On Excursion: Monticello

On Tuesday, June 16, after the official program concludes, participants may choose to join an optional day trip to Monticello, located about one hour from Lexington, for a specially arranged program of lectures, tours, and dining. Our day begins with a private classroom session featuring , Gibson Fellow of Democracy at University of Virginia, who will speak on women and the American Revolution. Following the lecture, participants will enjoy an exclusive “Founding Friends, Founding Foes” tour of the house and grounds, exploring the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Afterward, there will be free time to explore the mountaintop and join additional tours before gathering for a private reception on the Visitor Center grounds featuring Jefferson wines, followed by a specially prepared Jeffersonian dinner at the Woodland Pavilion. After dinner, we will return by coach to Lexington for one final evening before 10:00 a.m. check-out on June 17.

Cost: $275 per person 

Please note: Space is limited, and advance registration is encouraged.