College Presidents for
Civic Preparedness
College Presidents for Civic Preparedness is a national coalition that unites over 125 college presidents in a shared mission: to equip the next generation of students with the tools they need to solve civic problems in their communities.
INTRODUCTION
Preparing Every Student for Civic Life
College doesn’t just prepare students for careers; it shapes them into the citizens they will become.
College Presidents for Civic Preparedness brings together 125+ campus leaders across regions and kinds of campuses to embed strong
civic culture across student life at their schools—from orientation and first-year courses to student-led dialogue programs.
Together, they advance campus initiatives that build three essential civic skills: having productive conversations, using credible information, and collaborating to create solutions.
The Challenge
Too often civic readiness is treated as optional, or as a one-off class, project or workshop. Students need spaces to practice core civic skills—and conditions to make this culture of civic readiness possible.
The Experience
Presidents work with trusted leaders on their campus to create a plan that reaches as many students as possible and gauges how students are developing essential civic skills.
The Impact
Students graduate ready to strengthen their communities and tackle the challenges of their generation.
Shared Commitments.
Shared Success.
College Presidents for Civic Preparedness has grown from 15 founding presidents to 125 presidents representing more than 800,000 students in just two years—demonstrating real appetite for civic leadership in higher ed.
- Open to all presidents from 2- and 4-year colleges
- Campuswide strategies to reach every student, whether you are just beginning this work or deepening it
- Trusted peer network for collaboration
- Access to tools, trainings, and resources for staff, faculty, and students
- Access to shared measures, evaluation, and transparent reporting to track improvement
Reach Every Student, Inside and Outside the Classroom
By the Numbers
How It Works
Presidents join the national coalition and champion the Three Civic Commitments:
- Educating for democracy is central to our mission.
- We will prepare our students for a vibrant, diverse, and contentious society.
- We will protect and defend free inquiry.
Presidents engage in confidential meet-ups and forums to exchange strategies, talk through challenges, and learn from peers.
They work with their trusted campus leaders to create a plan for fostering civic culture, with programs and initiatives catered to their students, their existing culture, and their goals.
Presidents measure their progress using shared metrics to understand how students are developing the three essential civic skills and contribute to an annual impact report demonstrating collective outcomes.
Additional Offerings
When campuses need more support, C&S delivers programs, tools, and resources that help presidents, faculty, staff, and students strengthen civic culture.
The Faculty Institute is an 18-month professional learning experience for faculty across all disciplines to design courses or lead campuswide workshops that teach students how to have respectful discussions and solve problems across differences.
Campuswide Immersion are cohorts of peer schools led by C&S. Through regular convenings and shared learning sessions, schools compare approaches, trade ideas, and learn from each other’s successes and challenges—helping campuses move further, faster.
Dialogue in Practice is a new AI-enabled learning tool—currently in beta testing—that uses technology to help students practice an essential civic skill: having respectful discussions.
Meet Garry Jenkins
“Students are arriving on campus not knowing how to talk to each other, especially those with different viewpoints, and we cannot afford to allow them to leave campus without having learned that critical set of skills.”
Garry Jenkins
President, Bates College
Meet Matt vandenBerg
“I joined College Presidents for Civic Preparedness to help Ohio Wesleyan promote civic education, academic freedom, and civil discourse, which sometimes appear to conflict. I believe they are symbiotic and form the bedrock of a vibrant and inclusive academy.”
Matt vandenBerg
President, Ohio Wesleyan University
Meet Sian Leah Beilock
"It's imperative for leaders in higher education to do all we can to promote dialogue across differences, and that's why I'm so excited to be a part of College Presidents for Civic Preparedness."
Sian Leah Beilock
President, Dartmouth
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can join the coalition, and what does it cost?
Any sitting college or university president may join by submitting an interest form. Membership is free and offers access to resources, shared learning, and a trusted peer network.
What do presidents gain by participating?
Members benefit from proven strategies, confidential peer forums, shared metrics, and national visibility as leaders championing students’ civic readiness.
What does participation look like?
Presidents champion the coalition’s Three Civic Commitments, engage with peers to exchange ideas, and work with campus leaders to advance civic-skill building across student life. They also provide a campus plan and contribute to an annual impact report measuring campuswide progress.
How can I learn more or get in touch?
Visit collegepresidents.org to explore the coalition and submit an interest form. You can also contact the program team directly with questions about membership or next steps.
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