The Civic Generation Podcast: Are We Losing the Ability to Disagree?
What happens when two people with completely different political views actually keep talking? In this episode of The Civic Generation, Ruthu Josyula shares how one late-night conversation with her roommate changed the course of her life—they disagreed on almost everything, but stayed friends by morning. Chelsea Beaupre reflects on growing up in the D.C. area […]
C&S Secures Eight-Figure Investment, Led by $10M from Einhorn Collaborative, to Advance Campus Civic Culture
Initiative aims to reach 4.5 million students across 400 institutions over five years, anchored by a coalition of 135+ college and university presidents PRINCETON, N.J.—April 29, 2026—C&S, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing young people as effective, lifelong citizens, announced today that it has secured a major eight-figure investment, anchored by a $10 million […]
The Civic Generation Podcast: Is “Civic Engagement” the Wrong Phrase?
How do different generations talk about showing up in civic life? In this episode of The Civic Generation, Gabe Lerner, founder of Democracy Notes, and Lennon N. Jackson of Howard University share how they each came to this work—and why they don’t always use the same words to describe it. Lennon feels strongly about “civic […]
Young People Will Listen—When the Conversation Feels Worth Having
By Anthony Akator Jr., YAC Member On a hot summer day in Tucson, I marked the end of a chronological space. Starting in the tenth grade and continuing on throughout my time in high school, I became deeply involved with my local NAACP chapter. That blistering day would mark my last day as the president […]
Aliyah & Teaching Beyond the Comfort Zone
As a sociologist and C&S Mellon Fellow, Aliyah Turner is no stranger to tough conversations. She’s seen how those moments shape her students. That they don’t just build understanding, they improve the work itself. Better questions, stronger thinking, and more inclusive research. She’s felt the weight of that role, too, and what it means to […]
The Civic Generation Podcast: Is October 7 Gen Z’s 9/11?
What are the defining moments that shape a generation? In this episode of The Civic Generation, George Washington University sophomore Jonah Beinart and civic leader Debi Ghate share how defining moments for their generations—9/11 and October 7—shaped how they see the world, and how those different starting points actually help them relate to each other. […]
A Generation Ready To Lead
By Rajiv Vinnakota In Olympia, Washington, a high school student named Vy Le is quietly reinventing what leadership looks like in her community. What began as a scramble to find one professional outfit for her cousin’s job interview at a Seattle women’s shelter became WhereWear, a youth-led effort that treats donations not as charity, but as care. […]
C&S Invites Gen Z Leaders: Applications Open for Next Carnegie Young Leaders Cohort
Program supports C&S efforts to make civic engagement more accessible for Gen Z PRINCETON, N.J. — March 19, 2026 — C&S announced a call for participants for the next class of the Carnegie Young Leaders program, inviting young people ages 14–24 from across the United States to turn their ideas for community change into real […]
Samantha & Food Waste Into Full Plates
“The fellowship taught me how to set smart goals, break things down into tangible tasks, and work backwards from big picture to small picture.” Samantha Sandhaus saw her classmates go hungry while perfectly good food was being tossed, so she decided to start a community fridge. When it took off, she turned it into the […]
7 Presidents Join College Presidents for Civic Preparedness
Princeton, NJ, February 20, 2026: A new group of seven presidents from diverse higher education institutions across the country has joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, a unique coalition convened by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. The seven presidents joining the initiative lead a range of campuses—from those newly joining the coalition to […]