About Us
Advancing the Study of Freedom, Democracy, and American Constitutionalism
Founded in 1969, the Henry Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World is CMC’s oldest research institute and the first of its kind in the world. The Center’s mission is to develop close relationships between students and scholars and to engage in the study of political philosophy and freedom as it relates to American Constitutionalism and the American Founding. It seeks to understand, and, if possible, to hearten the moral, political, and intellectual underpinnings of democracy in America.
Our Programs
Big Questions. Real Conversations.
From Friday lunch seminars to Saturday salons, students gather to explore the fundamental questions that shape political and moral life. These discussion-driven programs extend learning beyond the classroom and cultivate a community grounded in open inquiry and thoughtful disagreement.
Engaging Leading Voices
Through partnerships at the CMC Athenaeum and beyond, we bring distinguished scholars and public figures into direct conversation with students. Lectures and lively panel discussions offer rare access to leading minds—and the chance to ask hard questions..
Research That Matters
We support collaborative faculty-student research that turns ideas into action. Salvatori Research Fellows help launch new initiatives, organize programs around visiting speakers, and contribute meaningfully to the intellectual life of the College.