Claremont McKenna College president emeritus will advise C&S on higher education, civic preparation, and institutional strategy
PRINCETON, N.J. — Thursday, August 4, 2026 — C&S today announced the appointment of Hiram E. Chodosh, president emeritus of Claremont McKenna College, as Distinguished Presidential Fellow. The newly established role will focus on the future of higher education and its responsibility to prepare young people for civic life.
Chodosh will advise the C&S leadership team and board of trustees to advance the organization’s programmatic strategy and expand its reach. His leadership will help C&S recruit and support college presidents, build relationships with funders and partners, and explore new opportunities at the intersection of higher education, the workforce, K-12 education, AI, and civic preparation.
“Hiram was a founding member of our College Presidents for Civic Preparedness coalition and has helped shape this work from the beginning,” said Rajiv Vinnakota, president of C&S. “Few higher education leaders have done more to translate the ideals of free expression, and constructive dialogue into the daily life of a campus. He combines a bold vision for higher education with the practical experience to turn that vision into institutional change, and his guidance will be invaluable as we work to ensure that every student develops the skills to participate, work across differences, and solve problems with others. We’re incredibly privileged to have Hiram provide guidance and engage to tackle our mission.”
Chodosh will continue to work closely with C&S’s College Presidents for Civic Preparedness, a national coalition of more than 140 college and university presidents representing more than 1,000,000 students. Coalition members are working to make civic preparation a defining part of the college experience by helping students have productive conversations, use reliable information, and collaborate across differences.
“I’m honored to serve in this advisory role for C&S and support my colleagues and their unwavering commitment to the future of higher education,” Chodosh commented. “As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this is a critical moment for us all to renew our national vows and civic commitments to develop the next great generation.”
Chodosh holds the Henry R. Kravis and George R. Roberts Chair in Leadership at Claremont McKenna College. A higher education leader and legal scholar, he has spent his career advancing institutional innovation, principled leadership, and institutional legal reform. Completing a record-breaking $1.1 billion campaign (the largest in liberal arts history), Chodosh has led the creation of many celebrated initiatives, including the Open Academy (on freedom of expression, viewpoint diversity, and constructive dialogue). Under his leadership, Claremont McKenna earned top national recognition across many domains: open inquiry, free expression, ideological pluralism, political engagement, friendliness, student satisfaction, post-graduate success, return on investment, campus architecture, financial strength, and best-run.
Before joining Claremont McKenna College, Chodosh served as dean of the S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah and on the faculty of Case Western Reserve University School of Law. His scholarship and international work, under grants from the U.S. State Department, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund focused on strengthening legal systems and improving approaches to institutional reform.
About C&S
Founded in 1945 as the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, C&S (cands.org) sparks young people to help build a strong and thriving America. Guided by the Power of &, C&S is grounded in a simple belief: young people with ideas—not institutions with ideologies—make our country stronger. We meet young people where they are—on campuses, at work, and in their communities—creating clear pathways for discovery, collaboration, and fresh civic solutions. Across all our work, C&S helps young people practice three essential civic skills: having productive conversations; using credible information; and collaborating to create solutions. Learn more at cands.org.
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