“on education all our lives depend”
BEN FRANKLIN
In an era when public confidence in higher education is waning, the Hamilton School stands as a torchbearer, giving students an education rooted in enduring ideas and the study of liberty, citizenship, and responsible self-government.
America’s Founding Fathers understood the importance of well-educated citizens to a thriving and a free society. The Hamilton School within the University of Florida agrees. We are a collegiate community, built in the spirit of an Oxford or Cambridge college. Our world-class researchers, who are just passionate about mentoring students, teach the ideas and habits of thought that founded our country and sustain our free society.
The world needs critical thinkers with fresh ideas and the courage to ask bigger questions. At Hamilton, we prepare students to think deeply, explore widely, speak with conviction, and lead with purpose.
We built a community rooted in classical learning, where students are challenged by enduring questions and supported by close faculty mentorship. It’s a distinctly American expression of the Oxbridge model, a combination of classical and civic education embedded within one of the top public research universities.
Unlike many elite institutions, we believe scholarship and teaching belong together. Our students don’t just watch experts from a distance. They learn in small seminars, side by side with faculty who teach what they research and care deeply about shaping thoughtful citizens. The result: a broader perspective that reaches across political, philosophical, religious, and ethical traditions—the kind of education that forms real leaders.
“caution and investigation are a necessary armor against error and imposition”
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
Our aim goes far beyond UF. We are creating a model for the entire nation— one that demonstrates how the classic spirit of the liberal arts and civic formation come together at the heart of a great American public university.
This is our opportunity to join efforts and make a lasting change.
TO LEAVE A
The Hamilton School is doing something rare—especially for a public university. At a time when many institutions are pulling back from big ideas, we’re leaning in, building a school grounded in the classical traditions that shaped the American republic.
With the country approaching its 250th anniversary, there’s no better moment to reinvest in civic knowledge, thoughtful debate, and principled leadership. Early support will do more than just get the School off the ground—it will help define its culture, shape its values, and even lay the foundation for its future home. This is your chance to be part of something lasting and bold.
Attracting world-class teachers and researchers to guide a new generation.
Hamilton School’s faculty are exceptional scholars and dedicated teachers. Endowed chairs enable us to recruit and retain top talent in history, philosophy, law, classics, and political thought, ensuring students learn from influential figures who foster intellectual growth and leadership.
Training the next generation of public leaders and educators.
Hamilton School fellowships support graduate students as junior fellows fostering intellectual apprenticeship via Oxbridge-style tutorials. This approach builds a cohort both of college faculty and public policy professionals.
Opening access to an elite education.
Hamilton Scholars are exceptional students driven to lead and learn. Through a cohort-based model with summer enrichment, internships, study abroad, research, and public service opportunities, they receive a transformative education, deeply engaging with ideas and making a meaningful impact.
Public engagement with a purpose.
The Hamilton School’s public programming is a bright beacon of viewpoint diversity and civic dialogue at UF.
Hamilton’s national reputation is built on the research excellence of its faculty. Sustaining that excellence requires robust, ongoing investment. Faculty development funds are essential not only to maintain the high level of scholarship that defines our programs, but also to recruit and retain world-class faculty in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Soon, the UF Infirmary, a Collegiate Gothic-style structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will become the Hamilton School’s new home.
Restoring a campus landmark as a true college home for scholarship, engaged instruction, and exploration of a broadened array of perspectives, past and current.
Seminar rooms throughout the renovated Infirmary are designed expressly for the discussion-based Socratic pedagogy that defines the Hamilton School’s style of liberal education. These smaller rooms create quiet sanctuaries for students to engage in deep learning, inspired by the classical tradition, where great books, guided discussion, and civil discourse cultivated citizens in a selfgoverning society.
The Winter Gardens, a luminous and airy space, will serve as an inviting crossroads for informal conversation, interdisciplinary dialogue, and quiet reflection. Bathed in natural light, this architectural centerpiece serves as a dynamic hub. Here, students, faculty, and visitors can connect, fostering an environment rich with intellectual exchange and collaborative discovery.
A versatile lecture hall and event space offers a comfortable yet intimate atmosphere. This dynamic area will serve as an ideal setting for a variety of gatherings, from large classroom lectures and public presentations by distinguished guest speakers visiting the school. Its thoughtful design ensures that both substantial audiences and more focused groups will find the space conducive to learning and engagement, fostering a sense of close connection regardless of scale.
CAREER OUTCOME GOALS:
The Hamilton School prepares graduates for success in many career paths, including law, business, education, government and public service, tech, finance, and more.
Target Placement: 97% of graduates employed, in grad school, or in service/military/independent projects within six months of graduation.
SOCIETY OF FELLOWS COHORT (ACADEMIC YEAR 2025–26):
More than a school, Hamilton is fast becoming a center for public programming in Gainesville. Since its founding in 2022, it has hosted 34 public events and welcomed over 2,800 attendees, bringing scholars, students, and citizens together in spirited conversation. With the right support, Hamilton can grow into the University of Florida’s destination for events.
ENROLLMENT MOMENTUM:
125%
ABOVE PROJECTION For first class of majors 1540
7000 STUDENTS/YEAR Five-year goal
15% FRESHMAN REACH Through Quest courses
“education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel”
It is impossible for me to overstate the importance of the texts we discussed throughout the year ... they have renewed in me a sense of urgency to seek as much truth as I can in my final two years at UF and for the rest of my life.
Nathan Mei, Class of ‘26
My time in the Hamilton School fellows program was an absolute gift! Through this program, I was given the chance to be exposed to authors, people and ideas that I wouldn’t have normally been exposed to in my daily routine. Discussions about morality and religion captivated me but were paired with deep-dives into beautiful poetry and prose. I made great friends along the way, and we finished our experience in the UK, which is a trip I will never forget.
Olivia Scarpo, Class of ‘26
The faculty at the Hamilton School is raising the standards for higher education instruction.
RAPID FACULTY GROWTH:
Over 50 faculty hired in under three years from thousands of applicants, making Hamilton one of the most sought-after new academic homes in the country.
TEACHING EXCELLENCE:
Hamilton faculty take their roles as educators seriously, and it shows. Students rate their courses nearly 10% higher in overall quality than other UF courses, reflecting a culture that values intellectual rigor and student connection.
FACULTY DISTINCTION:
New young faculty are rising stars in their fields, bringing fresh energy and opening up new vistas in their disciplines. Hamilton’s senior faculty have written books that will set the agenda for generations of scholars.
FACULTY RECRUITMENT:
Hamilton faculty have been recruited from the very best universities in the world. They’ve taught everywhere from Oxford and Cambridge to Princeton, Harvard, Stanford and Vanderbilt.
At a time when many institutions are losing sight of their direction, the Hamilton School stands firm. But we are not standing still. We are leading the way back to serious learning, civil discourse, and the formation of principled citizens.
THIS IS PUBLIC EDUCATION AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE.
By giving to the Hamilton School, you’re helping the University of Florida prove that excellence and integrity still belong at the center of the academic mission. Your support will fuel a lasting transformation—one that starts here and sets a new standard for public universities everywhere. To Support the Hamilton School visit HAMILTON.UFL.EDU
