Undergraduate Student Opportunities with the Knee Center

The application form is now open for the spring 2026 undergraduate reading group. The reading group will be held every other Tuesday from 5:30 to 7:30. We will be reading Jim Otteson’s What Adam Smith Knew: Moral Lessons on Capitalism from Its Greatest Champions and Fiercest Opponents. The book is a primary document reader in which the greatest supporters of capitalism and its greatest critics debate the merits of the system. There will be six discussion sessions over the course of the semester. Food from a variety of restaurants will be provided. Successful completion of this reading group (attendance and participation in all 6 sessions) will earn the participant a $250 scholarship that will be applied to their student account. The reading load will be around 50 pages each session. Please apply by November 7th.

The Knee Center will also be co-hosting a Saturday Seminar on Black Entrepreneurship and Flourishing alongside the American Institute for Economic Research. This seminar will be held on Saturday, February 21st from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. We will be reading a series of short articles and book chapters that delve into the efforts of black Americans to overcome state sanctioned discrimination. The readings will be a mixture of primary and secondary sources. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, and participants will receive a $50 gift card provided by the AIER. Please apply by November 7th at this link.

Please feel free to email marcus.witcher@mail.wvu.edu, Manager of Undergraduate Programs at the Knee Center, if you have any questions about these opportunities.

Learn more about the Knee Center here.