The Meriwether Lewis Institute for Citizen Leadership, currently in its eighth year at the University of Virginia, is a multi-year fellowship that prepares students for a lifetime of leadership at the University and beyond. The Institute brings together a diverse group of students for a 2.5-year immersive and rigorous leadership experience. In past years, each cohort of Lewis Fellows was comprised of 30 students selected in the fall of their second year from across the University. However, in recent years, the cohort has moved back to 25 students.

​Over the lifespan of the program, Lewis Fellows have held a vast array of leadership positions across Grounds including Student Member of the Board of Visitors, Chair of the Honor Committee, Co-Chair of Housing and Residence Life, President of the Black Student Alliance, President of the Inter-Fraternity Council, President of the Latinx Student Alliance, Executive Leadership in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and more. The cohorts consistently represent all undergraduate schools across Grounds and multiple disciplines of study. While many fellows go on to be leaders of high-profile student organizations, many more go on to lead smaller or new endeavors, such as the Student Hip-Hop Organization or creating a student group for first-generation, low-income students. Selected for potential rather than position, these students learn the skills to make an impact locally at UVA and take them out into the world and back into their communities to make an impact wherever they land in their lives after college.

The mission of MLI is to help develop compassionate, driven leaders from a wide range of backgrounds who contribute to student self-governance and are prepared to take on the challenges they will face beyond UVA.