JOIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF FREE EXPRESSION ADVOCATES
PEN America is committed to empowering a new generation of free expression advocates and building a youth advocacy network that can work together to facilitate positive change. We regularly invite students to support and engage in our national and international advocacy efforts, and actively seek ways to amplify and encourage students’ own free expression advocacy projects.
Get notified about Next Gen PEN America opportunities:
APPLICATIONS DUE MARCH 23:
Tuesdays, April 4 – 25, 2023
4:00pm – 5:45pm PDT / 7:00 pm – 8:45pm EDT
As part of the 2023 World Press Freedom Day global advocacy campaign, PEN America and the Student Press Law Center will be hosting the return of our Global Press Freedom Advocacy Institute over the course of four online weekly evening workshops. This program is FREE and available to all current and aspiring student journalists in high school and college.
Upcoming Institutes for Summer 2023
Los Angeles - June 26-30, 2023
Open to high school students. Applications due April 27, 2023.
Learn More 
Washington, DC - July 31 - August 4, 2023
Open to high school students. Applications due June 8, 2023.
Learn More 
Miami - Dates TBA
Open to high school students. Applications open soon.
More Opportunities
Freedom to Read Student Ambassadors Town Halls
Led by graduates of PEN America and Brooklyn Public Library’s Freedom to Read Advocacy Institute, this series convenes high school students for monthly online town halls to meet and collaborate on advocacy against book bans.
Register Now 
Free Expression Essay Competition
PEN America is inviting submissions for a national student essay competition about the role of free expression in today’s world. If you’re in high school or college, PEN America wants to know what you think about the threats to this crucial right!
Learn More 
Free Expression Leadership Fellows Program - Summer 2023
PEN America is offering a 14-week professional Free Expression Leadership Fellows Program for undergraduate and graduate students passionate about human rights, the written word, and free expression in the United States and worldwide.
Learn More 
Join our LinkedIn Group
Networking is key in the professional field of free expression advocacy. Former fellows, interns, and students of PEN America are invited to join our LinkedIn group to stay in touch.
Join us Events
PEN America’s Freedom to Learn Student Summit – Northern California
SatMarch 252023
Free Event In Person Student Summit
PEN America is coming to the San Francisco Public Library this March to host our first-ever Freedom to Learn Student Summit for high school students in Northern California.
Refusing Censorship: A High School Paper’s Fight for Press Freedom
ThuFebruary 232023
Free Event Online Virtual
PEN America, the First Amendment Coalition (FAC), and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists are proud to partner with the Student Press Law Center (SPLC) on Student Press Freedom Day 2023 for a virtual event “Refusing Censorship: A High School Newspaper’s Fight for Student Press Freedom.” For this event, we invite students and educators to […]
PEN America’s Free Expression Student Summit at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville
FriMarch 312023
Free Event In Person Student Summit
PEN America is returning to the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in Spring 2023 for our Free Expression Student Summit.
