John Saltmarsh and Brandon Kliewer

In an effort to recognize, support, and encourage the next generation of leaders in the civic engagement movement, the American Democracy Project established an award for emerging leaders in civic engagement in 2011, the John Saltmarsh Award for Emerging Leaders in Civic Engagement.  This annual award was named in John’s honor to recognize a lifetime passion of his: thinking about and preparing the next generation of civic leaders. To learn more about the Saltmarsh Award, visit this website.

The 2013 Saltmarsh Award recipient is Brandon Kliewer, Assistant Professor of Civic Engagement and ADP campus director at Florida Gulf Coast University. He is also a civic engagement fellow at the Points of Light Foundation, working to develop an online certificate program in community-engaged leadership. His scholarly attention is currently focused on a book-length project related to civic dialogue, community organizing and social change. He holds a Ph.D. from The University of Georgia in political science and a master’s degree in political science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

John Saltmarsh presented Brandon with his award at the 2013 ADP/TDC national meeting in Denver on June 7.

Congratulations, Brandon!

William Covino, 2012 Plater Award recipient

Each year we recognize an AASCU Chief Academic Officer (CAO) for his or her leadership in institutionalizing civic engagement on their campus. The William Plater Award for Leadership in Civic Engagement, established in 2006,  is designed to recognize the critical role of the chief academic officer in advancing the civic mission of the campus through curricular reform, public advocacy, accountability for institutional citizenship, faculty development and recruitment, and partnerships with community organizations. The Plater Award is the first national award established specifically to honor and recognize CAOs for their leadership in higher education and is funded through the generosity of AASCU member campus Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis.

“Among an impressive group of finalists for the William M. Plater Award, Provost William Covino stood out,” said George Mehaffy, AASCU’s vice president for academic leadership and change. “He has an amazing vision for the role of the university in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens.

“I was impressed with how comprehensive civic engagement is at Fresno State. Bill’s leadership connected his campus to all corners of his community, improving the educational outcomes at Fresno State and enriching the community it serves,” Mehaffy said.

On May 22, the California State University Board of Trustees named Covino the next president at California State University, Los Angeles. Covino will begin his new position on Sept. 1. He has been provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Fresno State since 2009.

Under Covino’s leadership, the Richter Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning helped volunteer service by Fresno State students, faculty, staff and administrators exceed 1 million hours for three straight years. Service hours totaled 1,129,004 in the 2011-2012 academic year. The volunteer work was done by 16,405 people, including 16,258 of approximately 21,000 students at Fresno State.

From left to right: Vince Magnuson (2011 Recipient), William Covino (2013 Recipient), AASCU’s George Mehaffy, and Mel Netzhammer (2012 Recipient)

According to philanthropic standards, the estimated economic impact of Fresno State’s community service was greater than $28.5 million in the past year.

“This is a great recognition of the commitment of so many at Fresno State to creating a true and lasting university-community partnership, and to the ethic of engagement, service and citizenship that is so deeply held by our faculty, staff and students,” Covino said of the award.

Related Links:

Provost Covino: http://www.fresnostate.edu/academics/

William M. Plater Award: www.aascu.org/programs/adp/awards/WilliamPlater

We announced a student-designed logo competition back in January for a new ADP logo. We received more than 30 logo designs from more than a dozen ADP campuses. The designs were original and captured the creativity and imagination of dozens of student designers.

We were especially delighted to unveil the new ADP logo at last week’s the American Democracy Project national meeting in Denver, Colorado. The winning team of students came from the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) — itself celebrating it’s 50th anniversary this year. The student design team was enrolled in Kristy Tucciarone’s creative advertising course in which designing an ADP logo was incorporated as a class assignment. The team of four winning undergraduate students consisted of Sivya Smason, Candice Harper, Brianca Johnson, and Jacob Endejan.

UMSL Student Sivya Smason accepts award certificate on behalf of herself and her teammates for designing the new ADP national logo. ADP’s National Manager Jen Domagal-Goldman (on right), presents award.

Sivya Smason, a sophomore studying marketing, was on hand in Denver to receive recognition for her team’s winning design at the opening plenary. She was accompanied by Kristy Tucciarone and UMSL’s Patrica Zahn who introduced the course assignment, UMSL’s participation in ADP and Sivya herself. Tucciarone had this to say about incorporating the competition into her creative advertising course: “I teach logo design in my course, Creative Advertising. The logo competition for ADP was a perfect fit with my curriculum plus the students were exposed to an organization that promotes active and involved citizens in their community.”

UMSL’s Patricia Zahn, Sivya Smason and Kristy Tucciarone

Sivya noted that she and her teammates “tried to incorporate ideas that we felt represented ADP’s core values. The circular shape is meant to represent continuity–continuity of civic engagement and continuity of growth. The hands represent the students of ADP with whom involvement in ADP starts as well as the power of unity and of community.”

Instructions for campuses to download and modify the new ADP logo with their campus name will be sent to campus coordinators later this week!

Happy #ADPFF, all!

We’re coming to you from back in the District of Columbia today, but we just can’t seem to get over just how much #ADPTDC13 rocked our last week so…

I bring to you some of my personal favorite #ADPTDC13 tweets and pictures (full disclosure: there is a picture featuring me–that I didn’t take or post–and one of my own tweets that highlights how great our #ADPTDC students are).

From @jillgately: Testing out the photo booth props for Saturday night. They work! @sroshelle #adptdc13 http://instagram.com/p/aM4sEGpsUY/

From @peprsc: More Stockton spirit at #ADPTDC13 http://fb.me/1HOlc5so7

From @ShariBax: At what other academic conference do they provide tattoos? UCM is game. #adptdc13

From @Sassy_Audrey: ADP is building a student advisory council!! So excited to see a focus on student involvement! #adptdc13 @MoSantosPinacho @musicsuncoffee

From @SRoshelle: #adptdc13 has the coolest students EVER! Yes, we did the #cupidshuffle

Photo by Ryan Joy

From ‏@molijuice44: I’ve learned more about civic engagement in one day than I have in a year. #adptdc13

From @DocPolitics: Re civic engagement “I’ve been forced to get more out of my life” yes!!! Best way to wrap this year’s conference #adptdc13

And, we didn’t get the chance to tweet this one but…How awesome is this shot of Amee Bearne, The Democracy Commitment’s National Coordinator, as she gets a spare in Wii the People bowling?

Photo by Ryan Joy

Mobile App: The program this year is on a mobile app which can be downloaded by scanning the QR Code above with your smartphone or tablet.

Twitter: Use #ADPTDC13 to participate in the ongoing conversation in the Twitterverse about the meeting! You can follow us at @ADPaascu.

You’re already reading the blog, but do you subscribe? You can subscribe in the upper right-hand corner of the blog’s main page by entering your email address.

Did you know that ADP has it’s own YouTube Channel? Follow us and link your own civic engagement campus videos to our stream!

Finally, make sure to “like” us on Facebook for all the latest and greatest ADP news!

To download a larger, printable PDF version of the Social Media flyer, click here:
ADP/TDC Social Media Flyer

• Registration opens at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 6 prior to the pre-conference workshops.

• You can download a PDF copy of the full program here: http://www.aascu.org/meetings/adptdc13/FullProgram.pdf

• If you’re registered for the meeting, you should also have received an email with a link and password for the Mobile App which has all the program details!Note: We will not have a paper version of our program available (we’re trying to be green and tech-savvy!), so if you’d prefer to have a paper copy please print it before you leave.

• For students only:

• Film workshop by Marlo Alvardo C. (20 student limit)
  • RSVP – marlo.custodio@gmail.com
  • Day 1, Friday, June 7, 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Day 2, Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
  • **Please only sign up if you plan to attend both sessions**
• ADP Student Advisory Council Info. Session, Friday, June 7 from 5 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
• Student mixer, Friday, June 7, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

• Fun stuff:

• Wine and cheese reception, Thursday, after the opening plenary
• End of conference party, Saturday, after the closing plenary (off site)

• Transportation:

• There are lots of ways to get from the airport to our conference hotel, Denver Marriott City Center: http://flydenver.com/parkinggt.
  • Other helpful hints from our hotel here.
• If you are traveling singly or in a small group the public shuttle ($11/ person – correct change only) may be the cheapest option for you.
  • The route to our hotel is the AF westbound, and you want to get off at the Denver Bus Center (at Curtis and 19^th.) This is five blocks away, and a quick walk, from the hotel. Click here for a Google walking map.
    • Route map
    • West Bound schedule
    • East Bound schedule
• Once downtown getting around is easy. We’re right across from a light-rail station, a full pedestrian street, and have easy access to taxis and buses.

Next Friday we will be with you in the flesh to wish you a happy end of the week (and, students, there will also be some awesome stuff happening for you if you missed it yesterday), but in preparation for our #ADPTDC13 meeting in Denver, we wanted to share with you a few items on our packing list this #ADPFF:

• Business Cards (in case you want to give someone your deets)
• Campus Schwag (show your school spirit on Saturday; everybody will be doing it!)
• Cowboy Boots (um, because it’s Colorado, and I am bringing mine–I’m a native, so I am not stereotyping)
• iStuff/Other SmartPhone (bring your iPhone, iPad, or whatever device you can download the mobile meeting app ont0–stay tuned for more info!)
• Umbrella (apparently we could get rain next #ADPFF; I recommend being prepared for any type of weather because in Colorado it can change faster than you can say “Democracy”)

You? Me? Denver? Next Friday? See you then!

If you’re not already stoked about #ADPTDC13 (and we have already given you five reasons you should be), we wanted to let you know about one more thing: we’ve assembled some activities just for you!

Read below to find out more about two students-only sessions and a PAR-TAY!

FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2013

3:45 p.m. – 5 p.m.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, But a Video is Worth a Thousand Stories: A Two-Day Film Workshop (students only; RSVP required)
Colorado Ballroom, Salon B
The filmmaker of The Democracy Commitment’s newest initiative, Civic Chronicles, is holding a two-day workshop on telling stories of civic engagement through the medium of film. The workshop will be interactive, engaging, fun and creative. Students and participants will leave with a basic knowledge of film theory, cinematography, editing and the art of storytelling. They will also get to apply what they have learned by creating a short film in a variety of styles and genres to their choice. Participants need to bring along their own DSLRs, handheld cameras, film equipment, and/or smart phones.

Facilitator: Marlo Alvarado Custodio, Filmmaker

If you are a student from an ADP/TDC member institution that is interested in attending this workshop and would like to reserve your spot, email Marlo at Marlo.Custodio@gmail.com. Please only RSVP if you can attend both workshop sessions. This workshop will be capped at 20 participants.

5 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
ADP National Student Advisory Council Info Session
Denver Ballroom, Suites I/II

The American Democracy Project is all about by the people, for the people, and it is for exactly that reason, as well as the fact that ADP is an AASCU program that is primarily student-centered, that we are in the process of establishing a National Student Advisory Council, which will be comprised of current undergraduate/graduate students at AASCU member institutions participating in the American Democracy Project. We will also be soliciting applications for an Executive Board that will assist the ADP National Manager in steering the larger council. Come hear more about what we are looking to do and how you can get involved and, in true ADP fashion, tell us how we can better inform and engage you! This session will be valuable for both faculty and students.

5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
ADP/TDC Student Mixer (students only)
Denver Ballroom, Suites III/IV

The American Democracy Project and The Democracy Commitment recognize that this year’s annual meeting will host the biggest cohort of students ever in attendance, and we want to celebrate that fact—plus give you the chance to meet your peers from across the country, swap ideas and contact information, and have a little fun on a Friday night. After attending the ADP National Student Advisory Council Info Session, stick around for food, fellowship and fun!  Mocktails and giant bean bag chairs anyone?

SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 2013

10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, But a Video is Worth a Thousand Stories: A Two-Day Film Workshop (continued from Friday)
Molly Brown

The filmmaker of The Democracy Commitment’s newest initiative, Civic Chronicles, is holding a two-day workshop on telling stories of civic engagement through the medium of film. The workshop will be interactive, engaging, fun and creative. Students and participants will leave with a basic knowledge of film theory, cinematography, editing and the art of storytelling. They will also get to apply what they have learned by creating a short film in a variety of styles and genres to their choice. Participants need to bring along their own DSLRs, handheld cameras, film equipment, and/or smart phones.

Facilitator: Marlo Alvarado Custodio, Filmmaker

Also, keep in mind, even though it will not be a students-only event, the closing reception on Saturday is going to be a seriously good time—we’ve rented space at The Tavern Downtown in the LoDo (Lower Downtown) district of Denver. There will be a photo booth (complete with props) and a DJ and dance floor, as well as delicious food and drinks. The Tavern is not only right across from the baseball field but has made multiple top-ten lists for its great rooftop.

We are looking forward to painting Denver red, white and blue next week and wish you all a happy end of the academic year and safe travels!

Get a head start on crafting your agenda by reading about what we are offering below:

The Featured Sessions:

Colorado Ballroom, Salon A
Featured Panel – Purposeful Work: Educating for Citizen Careers
In a changing higher education environment, how do we equip all young people to grow and develop during their college experience to become active employees in the workforce and engaged citizens able to find and create their role in the ecosystem of social change? In this interactive panel discussion, hear various perspectives on what it means to be an engaged citizen and how to create a citizen career in our traditional understanding, as well as new frameworks for thinking about engaged citizenship. The panel discusses an array of programs that are currently developing such practices and frameworks and explore how they are being applied in community college and four-year institutions throughout the country.
Panelists:
Harry Boyte, Director, Center for Democracy and Citizenship, Augsburg College (Minn.)
Rebecca Kaufman, Work on Purpose Coordinator, Echoing Green
Tamika Butler, California Director, Young Invincibles
Derek Barker, Program Officer, Kettering Foundation
Linda West, Organizer, Detroit Community Learning Partnership

Denver Ballroom, Suite V/VI
Featured Panel – Civic Pathways: Community College to University Transfer Programs
Can civic engagement and community-based learning facilitate transfer to four-year colleges and universities from community colleges? Do we have models of 2+2 transfer programs built on an engagement curriculum? This session highlights four such partnerships, in very different stages of development. High retention and transfer rates, a significant increase in civic knowledge, and the development of democratic skills—these are the takeaways from these programs. This session emphasizes the practical steps required to build successful partnerships between community colleges and four-year colleges and universities, and includes a checklist for effective program development. Interaction with participants engages ADP and TDC members in thinking about their own institutions and the potential for 2+2 partnerships.
Presenters:
Brian Murphy, President, De Anza College (Calif.)
MaryBeth Love, Chair and Professor of Health Education, San Francisco State University (Calif.)
Syd Beane, Minnesota Coordinator, Community Learning Partnership, Minneapolis Community and Technical College
Gregory Mellas, Director, Institute for Community Engagement and Scholarship, Metropolitan State University (Minn.)
Bernie Ronan, Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs, Maricopa Community Colleges (Ariz.)
Blase Scarnati, Director of First Year and Global Learning, Northern Arizona University
David Scobey, Executive Director, New School for Public Engagement (N.Y.)
Lavita McMath Turner, Director of Government Relations, Kingsborough Community College (N.Y.)

Colorado Ballroom, Salon C/D
Featured Session – Civic Learning in the Curriculum & Dialogue and Deliberation

•  From Classroom to Community Forum: Engaging Students in a National Discourse
  This presentation reports findings from the college’s participation in the national discourse, “Shaping Our Future: How Should Higher Education Help Us Create the Society We Want?” and conveys how students were engaged in deliberative forums.
  Presenters:
  Gregg Kaufman, Instructor and American Democracy Project Coordinator and Hillary Hunnings, Student, Georgia College
• Deliberating For Success
  Over the past year, Lone Star College-Kingwood has incorporated civic learning into its student success courses. Students apply critical thinking skills to accessible, real-world problems in a safe environment. Students develop the comprehension, analytic and expressive skills required in more advanced coursework and in active citizenship. Faculty share their experiences, including the implementation, challenges and successes of the deliberative forums in their classes.
  Presenters:
  Brenda Stubbs, Professor
  Samuel John, Instructor
  Anne Amis, ESOL Professor and Chair of the English Department, Lone Star College-Kingwood (Texas)

• Utilizing Democratic Deliberation to Move toward Public Action
  This session highlights democratic deliberation as an approach to increase citizen capacity and examines the infrastructure for developing collaborative partnerships to support public action. It focuses on Indiana University’s Political and Civic Engagement Program’s Community Deliberation Project and Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation, both of which utilize students to organize, lead, moderate and evaluate local community forums about important public issues.
  Presenters:
  Lisa-Marie Napoli, Adjunct Faculty, Indiana University’s Political and Civic Engagement Program’s Community Deliberation Project
  Martin Carcasson, Associate Professor and Director, Colorado State University’s Center for Public Deliberation

Colorado Ballroom, Salon G
Featured Session – Intercultural Competence and Student Engagement: Leveraging the Cognitive Connection to Propel Student Gains
The need for education to address the development of intercultural competence among college students is influenced by increasing globalization and domestic diversity, as well as by the sustainability of our democracy. This session describes the results of a study focused on the connection between student engagement and intercultural competence, as measured by the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) and the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). Using a mixed-methods research design, student scores from the IDI were correlated with five benchmark measures in the CCSSE. Four focus group interviews were conducted following the survey research to extend the quantitative data. Through information sharing in this session, participants gain an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of intercultural competence and the practices which help promote its development among college students. Examples from the Bridging Cultures activities at Lone Star College-Kingwood are included.
Presenter:
Rebecca L. Riley, Vice President, Instruction, Lone Star College-Kingwood (Texas)

Colorado Ballroom, Salon H
Featured Session – Bringing Together Community Engagement and Economic Development for the University of North Carolina System through Metrics Development
In May 2012, the president of the University of North Carolina (UNC) commissioned two multi-campus task forces to develop concise sets of indicators that all UNC campuses could use to assess “progress in community engagement and economic development.” While two task forces were charged to complete this work, one combined report emerged. This presentation explores lessons learned as a result of chairing this initiative, in particular, the interconnections between community engagement and economic development; the challenges—and opportunities—of developing system-wide metrics on community engagement and economic development for the North Carolina System; and the opportunity to start a new and unified conversation about the collective work and impact of universities as members of communities.
Presenter:
Emily M. Janke, Director, Institute for Community and Economic Engagement, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Colorado Ballroom, Salon J
Featured Session – Global Challenges National Blended Learning Course and eBook
Global Challenges: Promise and Peril in the 21^st Century is a collaborative effort of AASCU/ADP and the Global Engagement Scholars. This Red Balloon Project uses CSIS’ 7 Revolutions content as a framework for educating globally competent citizens. It responds to three challenges facing higher education in the 21^st century: the need to better engage students; to make more effective use of advances in technology; and to more efficiently allocate increasingly scarce resources. The project has produced a teaching toolkit, a national course, an eBook, and a series of workshops. The course design relies on blended learning models, combining the best of online and face-to-face educational approaches. The eBook makes effective use of emerging technologies to engage students with up-to-date material. In this session, the national Global Challenges project coordinator, the interim chair of the Global Engagement Scholars, and the national manager of the American Democracy Project discuss the collaborative effort.
Presenters:
Shala Mills, Chair, Professor of Political Science, Fort Hays State University (Kan.)
Keisha Hoerrner, Associate Dean, University College and Professor of Communication, Kennesaw State University (Ga.)
Jen Domagal-Goldman, National Manager, American Democracy Project, AASCU

Denver Ballroom, Suite I/II
Featured Session – “Tweeting in Class!” Student Microblogging & Civic Practice
This session offers a space for students to talk about experiences with the focused use of Twitter as tool to sponsor civic learning and engagement. Students from universities that participated in the 2012 Tweet-Ups, hosted by ADP/AASCU, facilitate the session, but all students are encouraged to join the conversation about the value of such practices to their 21^st century education. This session features focused and robust peer-to-peer interaction and produces different statements to be shared with students and faculty, respectively, seeking to influence the future use of social media as pedagogical tool.
Moderator:  Steve Hunt, Professor, Associate Director and Director of Graduate Studies, School of Communication, Illinois State University
Presenters:
Katy Feddersen and Brian Sorenson, Students, Illinois State University
Jorgi Henson, Sara Umphries and Mitchell Wasmund, Students, Indiana State University
Mandie Barnes, Tessa Diamond, David Wilson and Brady Harris, Students, Weber State University (Utah)

Colorado Ballroom, Salon B
Featured Workshop – CIRCLE’s National Study of Student Learning, Voting & Engagement
This year, CIRCLE and the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University  launched a new initiative: the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE). NSLVE’s goals are to build a national database for research, study patterns in college student voting nationally, and provide campuses with new, interesting data. Campuses can use this information to generate discussion and increase ways that they educate students for active citizenship. In this session, participants learn more about NSLVE, where the research stands, what the preliminary numbers show, and where we will be taking the study in upcoming election years.  Exchange ideas about the kinds of academic programs and co-curricular activities that foster student commitment to responsible public engagement.
Facilitator:
Peter Levine, Director of CIRCLE and Lincoln Filene Professor of Citizenship & Public Affairs, Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University (Mass.)

Colorado Ballroom, Salon I
Featured Workshop– Preparing for the 2015 Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement
2015 will be the next opportunity for campuses to receive the Carnegie Elective Community Engagement Classification and for 2006/2008 community engagement classified campus to re-apply. This session highlights additions and changes to the application for classification and reveals the abbreviated application process for reapplication. Strategies of what to do now to prepare for application are suggested. This session offers an overview of the process for 2015, reviews the documentation framework and complete application—featuring selected new questions and a guidebook to assist campus in responding to the questions—and suggests strategies that have been effective for successful application.
Facilitators:
John Saltmarsh, Co-Director, New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE), University of Massachusetts, Boston
Brenda Marsteller Kowalewski, Director, Community Involvement Center and Professor, Sociology, Weber State University (Utah)

Denver Ballroom, Suite III
Featured Workshop– The Human Library
The Human Library (HL) is an innovative method designed to promote dialogue, reduce prejudices and encourage understanding. The main characteristics of the project are to be found in its simplicity and positive approach. In its initial form, the HL is a mobile library set up as a space for dialogue and interaction. Visitors to a Human Library are given the opportunity to speak informally with “people on loan”—a group extremely varied in age, sex and cultural background. The HL enables visitors to break stereotypes by challenging the most common prejudices in a positive and humorous manner. It is a concrete, easily transferable and affordable way of promoting tolerance and understanding. It is a “keep it simple,” no-nonsense contribution to social cohesion in multicultural societies.
Facilitators:
Heather Merrill, Faculty, Teacher Education Program, HL Co-coordinator
Kirt Shineman, Faculty, Communications, HL Co- coordinator
Heidi Capriotti, Coordinator of Media Relations and Publications
Dede Elrobeh, Faculty Librarian
Jennifer Lane, Faculty English, Honors Coordinator
Christine Moore, Faculty Librarian
Brenda Nelson, Administrative Assistant
Julian Bailey, Student
Tanner Carthcart, Students, Glendale Community College (Ariz.)

Denver Ballroom, Suite IV
Featured Workshop – Students Working for Equal Rights (S.W.E.R): Fighting for our DREAM
The purpose of this presentation is to explain the history of S.W.E.R. and its process in order to engage, empower and mobilize the immigrant community to push for comprehensive immigration reform for all. Speakers focus on why and how this organization rose from being a handful of students to a network of organizations throughout the state of Florida. Each presenter represents a S.W.E.R. chapter in a different part of the state. Presenters facilitate workshops on how to recruit new leaders who are passionate for taking action for your organization.
Facilitators:
Edwin Alexander Ramos, Aldo Martinez, Zuleydi Baez, Francis Tume and Claudio Galaz, S.W.E.R. Leaders, Students Working for Equal Rights

Happy watching!

Song Of A Citizen is a non-profit, non-partisan collaboration of prominent thinkers and artists producing innovative films and web videos designed to spark a national conversation about what it really means to be a fully engaged and effective citizen in modern. The initial project was a series of unique Video Op-Eds — featuring nationally renowned political philosophers and self-governance experts — presented in a stylish and playful way. The organization has also filmed Video Q&A Interviews with leaders of the Deliberative Democracy field and other major thinkers with critical insights on citizen power and self-governance.