Hoover Institution (Stanford, CA) – The Hoover Institution hosted its fifth annual Summer Policy Boot Camp from August 15 to 19, 2021, hosting nearly 60 university students and recent graduates for four days of intensive sessions covering a diverse set of public policy disciplines.
This is the first time that the Summer Policy Boot Camp, codirected by senior fellows Scott Atlas and Josh Rauh, has returned to the Hoover campus since 2019. The boot camp convened virtually in 2020 because of COVID-19 safety protocols. Thus, the Hoover Institution invited back the same cohort of participants of the highly selective program who were welcomed last year but missed out on the opportunity for an in-person meeting.
“This year's Summer Policy Boot Camp was an exciting way to reopen the Hoover Institution with its first in-person event since the pandemic began. The student group was exceptional and represented an intellectually diverse group of young leaders from all over the country and the world,” said Atlas. “Attendees benefited from the unique opportunity to engage with our top Hoover scholars in an intimate setting. The goal, as always, was to prompt critical thinking and the free exchange of ideas that are often unheard on college campuses. Mission accomplished.”
The 2021 boot camp centered on two policy themes: economics and national security. This year’s speakers included H. R. McMaster on understanding threats to American security and prosperity; Caroline Hoxby on expanding merit-based opportunities for college education; John F. Cogan on federal entitlement programs and the coming fiscal crisis; Elizabeth Economy on US-China relations in the Biden era; Condoleezza Rice on global hot spots and great-power rivals; John B. Taylor on the US Federal Reserve and monetary policy; Glenn Loury on race relations; and many more.
“A key goal of the Boot Camp is to bring the knowledge and policy expertise of Hoover's fellows to some of our nation's most promising future thought leaders. Our highly accomplished fellows spoke about how the conclusions of their rigorous research are being applied by officials at the highest levels of government,” said Rauh. “Another key goal of the boot camp is to encourage students to question long-held assumptions in light of new evidence, and to be willing to exchange viewpoints with others who may have dissenting views. As codirector, I found it inspiring to witness this respectful discourse unfold.”
The Hoover Institution Summer Policy Boot Camp is made possible by the generosity of the Kurt Hauser Family. The application process for the 2022 summer policy boot camp will open in October. Please check Hoover.org for updates.
