UCA joined 300 other campuses in recommitting to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ American Democracy Project, a program created in partnership with The New York Times in 2003.

The American Democracy Project is one of the AASCU’s programs designed to advance civic education for students. 

UCA’s recommitment to the ADP means accessibility to webinars, conferences and other groups in the AASCU’s network to help faculty stay updated on the latest practices for teaching and learning about civic engagement.

UCA’s Director of Experiential and Community-Engaged Learning, Lesley Graybeal, said, “I’m excited that UCA has recommitted to ADP because civic engagement and education are always relevant to college students. 

“College is a time when many students are getting to participate directly in democracy for the first time, and this comes with a lot of questions and realizations,” Graybeal said.

“Democracy is an exploratory process for many college students as they discover different viewpoints through discussion and deliberation with other students, as they sharpen their skills for critical thinking and research, and as they consider how they want to contribute to their communities now and after graduation,” she said. 

Graybeal said the program values diversity.

“As state institutions of higher education, AASCU member institutions are often trying to fulfill a public purpose or mission to serve the diverse populations of our states, and I think discussions about how best to serve students of color, students from immigrant families, nontraditional students, low-income students, first-generation students and many other populations of students are always welcome in this organization,” Graybeal said.

The AASCU website offers programs in areas like student success and leadership development to students, provosts, student affairs counselors and aspiring leaders.

To learn more about the program, visit aascu.org/civic-global-engagement/american-democracy-project/.