Intellectual courage is fundamentally a disposition to persist in intellectual activity, for the sake of truth, knowledge, or understanding, while enduring perceived threats to one's well-being (King, 2021, p. 185-186)

Intellectual courage helps students bring their full selves to both academic and social spaces. It encourages them to say, "What about this?" or "I don't understand that." It is often the spark for new research questions or brave artistic expression. Courage is often most easily exercised when students feel a sense of belonging in the classroom and on campus.