This time of year, graduate students start thinking about next summer. Many have a research project in Austrian economics or libertarian political philosophy, and the faculty at their universities are untrained in these fields or even disdainful of them. If this is you or if you know somebody in a similar situation, then I have a top-notch recommendation.
There is no better place to do your research than the Mises Institute. The Summer Fellowships offer so much:
- a library full of relevant literature,
- office space,
- fellow students for discussing ideas and research hurdles,
- attendance to Rothbard Graduate Seminar and Mises University,
- a significant block of time you can dedicate to your research,
- and, most significantly, the ability to work with Professor Salerno, director of the program.
Professor Salerno, who is well-read and highly-knowledgeable in many fields, provides direction and feedback on the fellows' projects. This resource cannot be overstated in its value to young scholars writing their theses, dissertations, or first publications. He's also a great guy and a great example for students as they begin their academic careers.
"We are all Salernians now", as Professor Peter Klein concluded his Afterword to Salerno's festschrift, The Next Generation of Austrian Economics. He was commenting on Salerno's influence and leadership as a scholar and mentor, and summer fellows have the special opportunity to experience this themselves.
Through weekly seminars, fellows can share the status of their project and receive helpful feedback from the other fellows and the faculty, including Professor Salerno, Professor Thornton, and sometimes Dr. David Gordon. My research was definitely strengthened this way. Even small suggestions like a bit of literature to look into or simple clarifying questions can lead to big improvements.
I've also made some great friends and valuable connections through the Summer Fellows program. Some have already found esteemed positions at institutions around the world, and I expect to see the rest follow suit, maybe even as colleagues again. If so, we would owe a huge debt to the Mises Institute and the opportunities we had through the Summer Fellows program.
