Rollins College and The Institute for Citizens & Scholars will host John Dewey, 90 Years Later: How the Liberal Arts Strengthen Democracy, a national conference examining urgent issues in higher education.

Janett Cordovés, Senior Program Director, and Leila Brammer, Faculty Fellow, discuss the importance of engaging across difference for a healthy democracy.

The State University of New York (SUNY) announced changes to its undergraduate general education curriculum, starting with students entering in Fall 2026.

A new group of three presidents of diverse higher education institutions from across the country have joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness.

The “Civic Leadership: How Are We Doing?” panel featured CMC President Hiram Chodosh, Citizens & Scholars President Raj Vinnakota, and the Kravis Lab for Civic Leadership’s Vernon Grigg .

Citizens & Scholars president Rajiv Vinnakota alongside Pitt experts emphasized universities’ crucial role in fostering civic preparedness through informed participation and bridging diverse perspectives.

A new group of three presidents of diverse higher education institutions from across the country have joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness.

Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway and Citizens & Scholars President Raj Vinnakota are featured on NJ.com for their discussion during Holloway’s Byrne Seminar.

Raj Vinnakota was a panelist on Harvard Ash Center’s webinar discussing new campus initiatives for higher education to reassert its vital role in strengthening democracy.

A new group of 10 presidents of diverse higher education institutions from across the country have joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness.

NPR highlights two member institutions, Clark University and Ohio Wesleyan University, for their efforts to promote productive dialogue on their campuses.

Wesleyan University President Michael Roth, a founding member of College Presidents for Preparedness, is featured in this AP News article.

Janett Cordovés, Senior Program Director, and two Faculty Fellows share how the Faculty Institute is reshaping campus culture around fostering civil discourse.

James Madison University welcomes Raj Vinnakota, president of the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, as the keynote speaker for Constitution Day.

The College Uncovered episode discusses new campus protest policies, student activism, and how institutions like Hamilton College, Dartmouth, and Ohio Wesleyan University are promoting civil discourse training.

A new group of 9 presidents of diverse higher education institutions from across the country have joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness.

Citizens & Scholars president Raj Vinnakota was a guest on Yascha Mounk’s podcast The Good Fight discussing the work of College Presidents for Civic Preparedness. 

A Chronicle of Higher Education article highlights College Presidents for Civic Preparedness and the focus on free expression and civil discourse on campuses.

Dartmouth and Hamilton College are highlighted in a WGBH article for their efforts to prioritize civil discourse on campus this fall.

Raj Vinnakota, President of Citizens & Scholars, served as the keynote speaker at Gettysburg College to kick off its Conversations for Change Initiative focused on civil discourse.

Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway and Bennington President Laura Walker were featured in LearningWell, discussing how higher ed can reclaim its public good role and foster civil discourse on campuses.

Janett Cordovés, Senior Program Director, and two Faculty Fellows share how the Faculty Institute is an effective intervention to help reinstitute the democratic aim of higher education.

Hamilton College and Ohio Wesleyan University are featured in an Inside Higher Ed article on civil discourse.

Inaugural progress report highlights the remarkable strides college presidents have made in fostering free expression, critical inquiry, and civil discourse during an exceptionally challenging year for higher education.

A new group of 24 presidents of diverse higher education institutions from across the country have joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness.

The two-day conference will feature a series of panels that examine critical challenges confronting democracy, liberal arts education, and free inquiry in the United States.

What’s the best way to facilitate civil discourse and encourage critical inquiry in the classroom?  

Dispatch from the Faculty Institute, which helps interdisciplinary educators across the country gain the skills and confidence to redesign or create new courses that promote dialogue across difference and become champions of this work on their campuses.

Rajiv Vinnakota talks with The Best of Our Knowledge host Jody Cowan about the work of College Presidents for Civic Preparedness in preparing students for civic life.

Raj Vinnakota talks with Kristen Cambell, CEO of PACE, and Jeremy Haefner, Chancellor, University of Denver, on the Keeping PACE podcast about the challenges colleges face when they try to take on civic preparation in a major way.

5 recommendations for campus leaders as they prepare for student protests to resume this fall.

10 presidents join the consortium of leaders of diverse institutions from across the country who are uniting to advance higher education’s pivotal role in preparing students to be engaged citizens.

A bold, fresh approach nurtures civic readiness, embraces diversity, and fosters free expression in higher education.

Faculty are provided the resources, support, and opportunities to hear and work with experts and one another and to apply and practice civil discourse.

Measurement Working Group participants were provided tools, resources, support, and peer convenings to strengthen their own approaches to assessing civic learning and leadership.

The work of College Presidents for Civic Preparedness in upholding free expression, civil discourse, and critical inquiry on campuses is highlighted in this Forbes article.

Presidents have implemented programming on their campuses to advance the principles of free expression, civil discourse, and critical inquiry.

College presidents reference the civic commitments in their convocation speeches.

Participating presidents will take campus-specific and collective action, reflecting three shared Civic Commitments.

Dispatch from University of Chicago’s Inaugural Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression

The Faculty Institute is having a positive impact on creating a network of faculty, as well as pedagogical and practical changes to classroom design and the field of higher education in general.

Higher education is charged to help shape the next generation of empowered citizens. Yet we’re seeing weekly headlines about the debate and demise of free expression and critical inquiry on college campuses.

Higher ed must take the lead in preparing students with the interpersonal skills necessary for civil discourse and civic engagement.

Dispatch from the Democracy in Action convening at Wesleyan University

Dr. Britt shares insights into her Faculty Institute experience and how it has impacted her classroom instruction.

Dispatch from the from the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness convening at Howard University.

The Institute for Citizens & Scholars president Rajiv Vinnakota gave the Winter Commencement address at the University of Pittsburgh.

Wide-ranging conversation touches on free speech, ways to equip students with civic skills and how to prepare faculty to facilitate deliberative debate in their classrooms.

From facilitating guest lectures to introducing faculty training on civil discourse and creating student programming around civic skills, participating institutions are recentering their commitment to developing thoughtful, effective citizens.

Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway talks about the importance of free speech, respectful debate, and civility.

Attendees shared ideas on how to support free speech and intellectual diversity on their respective campuses.

Media highlights of the launch of Campus Call for Free Expression.

President Jonathan Holloway welcomes Rajiv Vinnakota to the Rutgers campus for the first 2023 Byrne Seminar Citizenship, Institutions, and the Public.

The cracks in the foundation of our republic are too large to ignore; our democracy is in crisis.

Check out media highlights from the launch of Campus Call for Free Expression.

Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University shares how promoting civic literacy and political participation is a great step in helping universities make a deeper contribution to public life.

Presidents from public flagship universities, Ivy-plus campuses, HBCUs, STEM-focused schools, liberal arts colleges, and faith-based institutions are uniting to prepare today’s youth to be well-informed, engaged, and committed citizens