A project of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Higher Education

Higher Education

Make the preparation of skilled democratic citizens a priority at colleges and universities.

An initiative to help college and university leaders prepare students for democratic life. 

* New Publication *

Icon of government building atop icon of an open book.

To Prepare Students for Civic Life
Responding to historically low levels of trust in American institutions, this new publication outlines eight institution-wide strategies colleges and universities can use to embed democratic learning across curricula, campus culture, and community partnerships. The guide draws on a multiyear working group of university presidents, faculty, and civic experts and includes six case studies of campuses putting these approaches into practice. 

Online - Preparing Students for Civic Life: A Guide for Higher Education Leaders

Higher Education Working Group

This Working Group developed a comprehensive guide with specific models, mechanisms, and measurements that community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities can use to prepare democratic citizens in ways that connect meaningfully across campus.

Chairs

  • David Campbell, Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy, The University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN; Member of the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship
  • Ben Vinson III, Presidential Research Professor, Baker Nord Institute, Case Western Reserve University; ALARI Research Associate, Hutchins Center, Harvard University; Presidential Fellow, National Humanities Center

Members

  • Josh Blakely, Director, Brock Experiences, Longwood University, Farmville, VA
  • Trevor Brown, Dean, John Glenn College of Public Affairs, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
  • Jane Kamensky, President, Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Charlottesville, VA
  • Devorah Lieberman, former President, University of La Verne, La Verne, CA
  • Fayneese Miller, President, Hamline University, St. Paul, MN
  • David Oxtoby, President emeritus, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA
  • Laurie Patton, President, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Cambridge, MA
  • Sandra Peart, Dean, Jepson School of Leadership Studies and E. Claiborne Robins Distinguished Professor in Leadership Studies, University of Richmond, Richmond, VA
  • Carol Quillen, President Emerita, Davidson College, Davidson, NC
  • Ravi Perry, Professor, Department of Political Science, Howard University, Washington, D.C.
  • Eric Reveno, Associate Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
  • Anthony Scott, Chief Inclusion & Belonging Officer, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
  • Sarah Surak, Associate Professor, Political Science and Environmental Studies, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD
  • Andrew Taramykin, Student Civic Engagement Assistant at Bob Graham Center for Public Service, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
  • Nancy Thomas, Senior Adviser to the President for Democracy Initiatives and Director, Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, American Association of Colleges and Universities, Washington, DC
  • Deanna Villanueva-Saucedo, Associate Vice Chancellor, Center for Excellence in Inclusive Democracy, Maricopa Community Colleges
  • Marianne Wanamaker, Dean, Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
  • Scott Warren, Visiting Fellow, SNF Agora Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Challenges for Individuals and Institutions

In a healthy constitutional democracy, community college, college and university students are prepared to be informed and engaged citizens. But it’s harder than ever for students: they are navigating an increasingly polarized landscape in which they feel isolated and disconnected from democratic institutions and civic culture. Moreover, hyper partisanship impedes their ability to address key public policy issues and become fully engaged citizens.

One solution is to increase institutional investment in building civic capacities among students, as set forth in Our Common Purpose. When students work together, they can realize their civic agency and capacity to solve problems across lines of difference. However, many current efforts to prepare students for participatory democracy are isolated or siloed from other campus initiatives. For an institution of higher education to successfully develop engaged citizens, that goal must be established as a priority and supported across all aspects of campus life. 

Voices from the Field

Preparing Students for Civic Life
A publication with 8 strategies and 6 case studies for helping colleges and universities teach students how democracy works and equip them with the skills to be good citizens.
Read or Order Here

To learn more about this initiative, please contact Betsy Super.