Vy Le is Changing How We Donate to Shelters
In WA, Vy and her team are turning clothing drives into acts of care Vy Le is a 2025 Carnegie Young Leader and the team lead for WhereWear, a youth-run project in Olympia, WA that’s making clothing donations more intentional and respectful. It all started with a conversation with her cousin, who was staying at a women’s shelter […]
7 Young Leaders Reimagining America’s Civic Life
When the country feels more divided than ever, what does it take to reimagine civic life? Across the U.S., young people aren’t waiting for permission — they’re building trust, connection, and community right now. At the 2025 National Conference on Citizenship, a few of them shared what civic resilience can really look like. Elijah Lee, 17 […]
Inside the First Carnegie Young Leaders Summer Kickoff
https://vimeo.com/1119776623?fl=pl&fe=cm What happens when you get 100 young leaders in a room together? Pure energy. The inaugural Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness kickoff brought together team leads representing 500 of their peers in Princeton, NJ. These young people are from every corner of the country—rural towns, big cities, red, blue, and purple communities. They’re ages 14–24, […]
Meet the Founding Members of the Youth Advisory Council
Meet the founding members of the Youth Advisory Council (YAC)! These young people helped write the bylaws and build the structure for how the council works. Collaborating with Citizens & Scholars leadership, they share their lived experiences to assist in shaping our organization’s decisions and strategies. We asked them a couple of quick questions so you […]
Higher Education Isn’t Retreating. It’s Rising to the Challenge.
The 2025 Impact Report from College Presidents for Civic Preparedness showcases how 125 institutions are transforming campuses into hubs of civic readiness and national renewal. In a time when confidence in higher education is being tested like never before, one truth stands out: colleges and universities help students build a life—not just a living. From […]
Judy Woodruff Honored with Citizens & Scholars 2025 Frank E. Taplin, Jr. Public Intellectual Award
Jay Geneske , Chief Communications & Engagement Officerhttps://vimeo.com/1097572034?fl=pl&fe=cm The Institute for Citizens & Scholars recently presented the 2025 Frank E. Taplin, Jr. Public Intellectual Award to Judy Woodruff, the esteemed broadcast journalist and senior correspondent—and former anchor and managing editor—of PBS NewsHour. We were honored to recognize Judy for her decades-long impact on American media and […]
500 Gen Zers Named 2025 Carnegie Young Leaders
The inaugural class of Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness features young changemakers from across the country tackling real-world challenges in their communities. These 500 young people from 27 states and D.C. will receive a full year of wraparound support from Citizens & Scholars, including funding, mentoring, training and access to a national network. Explore […]
Meet the Carnegie Young Leaders Making Change Right Now
We’re proud to introduce the first class of Carnegie Young Leaders—100 teams of young people, ages 14–24, from 27 states and D.C., who are building real-world solutions to urgent issues in the communities they know best. Meet a few of the team leads and hear about their projects in their own words. David Jen, 18, Pennington, […]
Institute for Citizens & Scholars Announces 500 Carnegie Young Leaders
PRINCETON, NJ, AUGUST 13, 2025 — Across the country, young people are stepping up to lead their communities with innovation, courage, and purpose. The Institute for Citizens & Scholars proudly announces the first-ever cohort of Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness fellows: 100 youth-driven teams, 500 passionate changemakers across 27 states already making a real difference […]
Institute for Citizens & Scholars Announces Inaugural Faculty Fellows; Bringing Civic Learning and Inclusive Dialogue to Thousands of Students Nationwide
In a Divided Moment for Higher Education, 37 Professors Strengthen Free Speech and Civic Education on Campus Princeton, New Jersey — July 31, 2025 — The Institute for Citizens & Scholars announced its inaugural cohort of Faculty Fellows — professors, lecturers, and instructors from a broad range of institutions who are leading efforts to deepen civic learning and […]