This is a tough question. The 2 main problems I see are that a true political foundation requires a great many books, and the average college student isn't going to get through a single one of them, let alone the full catalogue. That said, I think if I had to pinpoint a single book that I wish every college student would read, it would be Bastiat's The Law. It has a great ratio of insightful ideas to page numbers, which is crucial for people who aren't looking to invest too much time or energy.