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Citizens & Scholars Announces Winners of the Youth Civic Solutions Competition

PRINCETON, N.J. (October 24, 2024) — The Institute for Citizens & Scholars is proud to announce 10 winners of the Youth Civic Solutions Competition, a national challenge designed to elevate the voices of young people aged 14-24 with innovative ideas about strengthening civic knowledge, engagement, and trust across the United States. Funded by the William […]

Preamble: Sharon McMahon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6KqfnxDeIE&t=9s In this urgent moment for our nation, we can strengthen democracy—together. Raj Vinnakota, President of the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, sits down with diverse leaders to learn about their work and hear their ideas for shaping a more perfect Union. Here, Raj talks with Sharon McMahon, known as “America’s Government Teacher.” Sharon is the author of The […]

Raj Vinnakota on the Remaking Tomorrow podcast

Rajiv Vinnakota , President  “The core democracy issue is, at least in my mind, is that we have forgotten how to develop citizens for a self-governing politik. And if you want to think about any of the challenges we face right now, I believe it’s because we don’t have the civically well-informed, productively engaged and committed […]

College Presidents for Civic Preparedness featured on NPR Weekend Edition

The College Presidents for Civic Preparedness initiative was featured on NPR Weekend Edition in an interview with Raj Vinnakota, President of the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. Two member institutions, Clark University and Ohio Wesleyan University, were also highlighted for their efforts to promote productive dialogue on their campuses. Listen to the audio and read the full […]

Rutgers University President Holloway teaches class on civil discourse

Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway sat down with Raj Vinnakota for his Byrne Seminar “Citizenship, Institutions, and the Public” on October 2, 2024. Together, they discussed the importance of civil discourse, the rise of affective polarization and the launch of the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness initiative. Raj also noted the results of Citizens & Scholars’ The Civic […]

Raj Vinnakota Delivers Constitution Day Lecture at JMU

Rajiv Vinnakota , Presidenthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2fIT8DOgNY Raj Vinnakota, president of the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, delivered in the Constitution Day lecture at James Madison University, a member institution of College Presidents for Civic Preparedness. In his remarks, he emphasized that civil discourse is the most important skill students will learn on campus, essential for working together to solve […]

5 Minutes with Faculty Institute Leaders: The Future of College Campuses

The College Presidents for Civic Preparedness Faculty Institute 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. What does this work mean for our democracy, the future of higher education, and preparing a rising generation […]

Raj Vinnakota on the College Uncovered podcast

   Raj Vinnakota recently appeared on the College Uncovered podcast, a collaboration between GBH News and The Hechinger Report. In the interview, Raj discusses the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness initiative and its mission to foster free inquiry and healthy debate on college campuses. Member institutions Hamilton College, Dartmouth, and Ohio Wesleyan University are highlighted for their […]

Raj Vinnakota on Yascha Mounk’s podcast The Good Fight

Rajiv Vinnakota , President Institute for 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 in building healthy campus communities. Their conversation covers strategies for building a campus environment conducive to civil discourse and free expression and how we can bridge the […]