Ashland University – Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs
Web Link: http://www.ashbrook.org/
In its own words, the Ashbrook Center “teaches what it means to be an American.” Under the leadership of Director Peter Schramm, its activities reflect the vision of the late Congressman John Ashbrook, long an advocate of “limited constitutional government and reduced federal spending.” Dedicated in May, 1983 by President Ronald Reagan, the center offers a wide range of activities, such as the Ashbrook Scholars program for eligible undergraduates and the Master of American History and Government degree. The center also partners with local school districts as a participant in the federal Teaching American History grants program, offers regular seminars for social studies teachers, and hosts a wide range of distinguished guest speakers during the academic year.
Baruch College, New York City - Free Institutions Program
The Free Institutions Program at Baruch College is led by Public Policy Professor Thomas Main, currently sponsors guest speakers, and will host a conference on May 4-5: Is the American Constitution Obsolete? Invited presenters will examine topics such as Judicial Review and Democracy, The Electoral College, Race and the Constitution and the 14th Amendment, among others. Inquiries should be sent to Professor Main: thomas.main@baruch.cuny.edu.
Bellevue University - Center for American Vision and Values
Web Link: http://www.americanvisionandvalues.org/terms-conditions/index.aspx
The Center for American Vision and Values "is an educational and research institute, dedicated to the exploration and promulgation of ideas and beliefs that have contributed to American exceptionalism." It examines "the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, and traditional American values and beliefs" through the Kirkpatrick Signature Series, lectures, debates, research, a Visiting Scholars Program, a student Junior Fellows Program, and other educational outreach initiatives. The Center is directed by distinguished NAS board member Dr. Ed Rauchut.
Bethel University – Western Humanity in Christian Perspective
Web Link: http://cas.bethel.edu/dept/ges/whicp/index
Western Humanity in Christian Perspective is a four-course sequence which may be used by freshmen and sophomores to fulfill humanities requirements. The program is under the directorship of English professor Daniel Ritchie. The first courses of the sequence are centered on great writings and works of art, music, and theatre from the Greeks through the Enlightenment.
Second semester begins with Renaissance art through the work of Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, and other Renaissance themes in the works of Machiavelli and Shakespeare. Luther, Calvin, and other Reformation figures are studied in depth, along with the music of Bach and other Baroque composers. The semester ends with political figures that led up to the French Revolution (Voltaire, Burke, Paine) and the writers, artists, and musicians of that era (Mozart, Beethoven, David, Jane Austen).
The final courses of the sequence bring the course from the American Founding through the postmodern age, and examine texts as diverse as The Federalist Papersto the writings of Marx, Nietzsche, Fitzgerald and Pope John Paul II.
Boston College – Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy
Established in 2008, the Gloria L. and Charles L. Clough Center for the Study of Constitutional Democracy is led by Director and Political Science Professor Ken I. Kersch. The Center aims to “serve as a hub for reflection upon some of the most significant questions concerning self-government and the rule of law.” Its activities in pursuit of this goal include regular scholarly lectures, conferences and colloquia, as well as support for research by faculty, undergraduate and graduate students. The Center also offers junior fellowships and internships for undergraduates, and annual prizes each spring in recognition of the best student papers or theses on themes of constitutional government.
Brown University – Political Theory Project
Web Link: http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Political_Theory_Project/index.html
Founded in 2003 by political scientist and Director John Tomasi, the Political Theory Project seeks “to invigorate the study of ideas that make societies free, prosperous and fair.” This inquiry focuses on three central themes: The American Experiment, Market Society and Social Order and Globalization and Development. The PTP offers post-doctoral research fellowships, undergraduate courses, and regularly sponsors visiting speakers during the academic year. A distinctive feature of the PTP is the Janus Forum, an on-campus initiative intended to “encourage, facilitate, and develop active thought, debate and discussion around political ideas at Brown.” The Forum’s activities include a public lecture series, smaller informal gatherings, bi-weekly luncheon discussions, and public debates open to Brown undergraduates.
California State University, East Bay - Smith Center for the Study of Private Enterprise
Inaugurated in 1991 with support from California entrepreneurs Owen and Erma Smith, the center’s activities are currently under the leadership of Director Stephen Shmanske. As noted in its mission, the center sponsors lectures, research, seminars and conferences for the future leaders in business and society in general, emphasizing the value of private property, civil liberties, constitutional government and free markets. It also hosts guest speakers, publishes occasional papers, and holds monthly informal gatherings for students.
Christopher Newport University – Department of Leadership and American Studies
Christopher Newport University – Department of Leadership and American Studies
This is actually a separate department within the university, “dedicated to the ideals of liberal learning, scholarship, leadership and service,” which further aims to “inspire a sense of responsibility and civic duty” in participating students. The program offers a minor concentration in Leadership Studies and an interdisciplinary bachelor of arts degree in American Studies. Students may also select a minor in American Studies if they wish. The current department chair is Professor Robert Colvin. The department also sponsors a Professorship for the Study of Capitalism, which hosted its first recipient in 2006.
Claremont-McKenna College – Salvatori Center
The Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom in the Modern World seeks “to understand, and, if possible, to hearten, the moral, political and intellectual underpinnings of democracy in America.” Founded in 1969 by philanthropist Henry Salvatori, the center is currently under the direction of Professor Mark Blitz. It sponsors numerous activities, including the undergraduate Junior Fellows’ program, occasional publications, visiting scholars, conferences and regular presentations by distinguished speakers during the academic year. The center was the first of its kind, and has inspired similar initiatives at other institutions.
Clemson University – Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism
Established in 2005 by executive director C. Bradley Thompson, the Institute pursues a mission intended “to examine and to increase public awareness of the moral foundations of capitalism.” Current activities include the sponsorship of a junior fellows program for undergraduates, summer seminars for high school teachers, a visiting scholars program, regular guest speakers, and conferences on the political and economic foundations of capitalism.
Colgate University – Center for Freedom and Western Civilization
By http://www.colgate.edu/DesktopDefault1.aspx?tabid=1692
Led by political science professor Robert Kraynak, the Center was formally established in 2004. It mission is to expand intellectual diversity on campus by sponsoring speakers with a 'conservative voice' in public debates and to promote the "rigorous study of Western civilization and the great books that define it" as an alternative to the complacent intellectual conformity so widely prevalent in the current academy. The Center supports the understanding of the Western heritage of freedom and civilization at home and abroad, through a new initiative, "Project Afghanistan," that has established links with the University of Kabul in Afghanistan and the University of Dohuk in Iraq. Activities at Colgate include regular guest speakers and conferences, the annual Richard L. Stone Civic Freedom Award, a planned postdoctoral teaching fellowship, promoting ROTC on campus, alumni outreach, and co-ordination of events with the Alexander Hamilton Institute of nearby Hamilton College.
Cornell University – Program on Freedom and Free Societies
Web Link: http://freedomandfreesocieties.cornell.edu/
Directed by history and classics professor Barry Strauss, the Program on Freedom and Free Societies aims to enhance understanding and appreciation for constitutional liberty, by stimulating inquiry into the nature and meaning of freedom. It encourages Cornellians to think about big questions with the rigor, dispassion, and lack of partisanship that serious academic inquiry requires. The Program hosts events on campus, free and open to the public, that highlight individual freedom within the framework of constitutional liberty, and that stimulate debate on fundamental issues.
Dartmouth College – The Daniel Webster Project in Ancient and Modern Studies
Established in 2008 as a faculty initiative, the Daniel Webster Project seeks “to enhance the liberal arts experience at Dartmouth College by bringing ancient and modern perspectives to bear on issues of permanent moral and political importance.” In pursuit of this mission, under the current leadership of director James Murphy, the project aims to sponsor seminars, lectures, conferences and curriculum development in hopes of bringing “ancient and modern learning into fruitful dialogue.” The program will seek to engage the participation of Dartmouth faculty from a variety of disciplines and academic backgrounds as part of its core efforts to examine “urgent moral and political questions informed by the broad perspectives of the liberal arts.”
Duke University – Program for American Values and Institutions
Web Link: Under construction
Under the directorship of Professor Michael Gillespie, the Program for American Values and Institutions replaces the Gerst Program in Political, Economic, and Humanistic Studies founded in 1998. Presently, the new program is sponsoring two post-doctoral fellowships, a visiting professorship in American Political Thought and American Institutions, a speakers’ series and an annual conference. The conference theme for this year’s gathering was devoted to the question of national sovereignty in the 20th century. Inquiries should be directed to Professor Gillespie at mgillesp@duke.edu.
Emory University – Program in Democracy and Citizenship
Web Link – not yet available
The Program in Democracy and Citizenship is a curricular initiative at Emory University centered on the knowledge required for young Americans to become responsible, informed citizens with a critical appreciation of the values, ideals, and history of our nation. Through selected courses, guest lectures, and regular mentoring, the Program introduces students to the intellectual foundations, essential texts, great art works, and formative events of the United States—in a word, the reservoir of learning, the “citizenship knowledge,” essential to civic literacy, enlightened entrepreneurship, and healthy democracy.
At present, it is a coordinated effort involving six departments—Political Science, English, History, Philosophy, Linguistics, and Classics. The departments offer American tradition-oriented courses, and the Program provides funding and curricular support.
Each semester, department officers and the Program Director develop general education courses whose readings and course work center on enduring civic and cultural traditions of the United States. Departments assume the role of submitting course descriptions and readings, as well as personnel recommendations. The Program Director advises the teachers on syllabus design in order to match the courses to the educational aims of the Program. Each course fulfills a general education requirement.
The courses are taught by faculty and advanced graduate students, with the syllabus and pedagogy monitored by the Program Director. Additionally, each course has at least one guest presentation per semester. The speakers come mainly from the public world (journalism, foundations, think tanks). Each visit spans one or two days, with the speaker presenting assigned texts to classes and meeting students in private conferences to discuss issues such as career plans.
Harvey Klehr, professor of Political Science is the current Director, coordinating the courses and organizing the visits.
Georgetown University – The Fund for American Studies, Georgetown Institutes
Web Link: http://www.dcinternships.org/
The Fund for American Studies is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the ideas of freedom, democracy and free-market economies. The Georgetown Institutes combine academic credit from Georgetown University, substantive internships, on-campus housing, site briefings and guest lectures for undergraduates from all over the country. These Institutes teach college students interested in public policy, journalism, philanthropy, and business about the principles and values upon which the United States was founded.
Georgetown University – The Tocqueville Forum
The Tocqueville Forum on the Roots of American Democracy seeks to restore “classical liberal learning” and to “advance the study of America’s founding principles and their roots in the Western philosophical and religious traditions.” Under the leadership of founding director Patrick Deneen, the forum hosts a regular series of speakers, seminars, conferences and colloquia in pursuit of its efforts to “deepen classical liberal learning.” The forum also offers undergraduate and graduate courses topically reflective of its mission, hosts visiting scholars and is currently accepting applications for a two year post-doctoral fellowship to be awarded to a recent Ph.D.
Hampden-Sydney College – The Wilson Center for Leadership
The Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest was established in 1997, and is currently under the direction of Dr. David E. Wilson. The Center offers a wide variety of programs and initiatives, including the James Madison Public Service Minor and the Freshman Leadership Program. The Center also regularly sponsors guest speakers, conferences, visiting scholars, and youth programs for area high schools; and publishes a monthly newsletter. Its central mission is to provide “Education for a Competent Democracy,” by stressing the cultivation of civic virtues and citizenship.
Marshall University – John Deaver Drinko Academy
The John Deaver Drinko Academy for American Political Institutions and Civic Culture traces its origins to 1985, when founders John and Elizabeth Drinko endowed a new chair in Marshall’s College of Liberal Arts. The success of this initial program led to the creation of the Drinko academy, which is presently led by executive director Alan B. Gould. The overall aim of the Academy is foster greater public understanding of American governmental institutions and to restore a civic culture which promotes the responsibilities and duties of citizenship, through regular lectures, fellowships, visiting professorships, seminars, and occasional publications.
Michigan State University – Lefrak Forum and Symposium on Science, Reason, and Modern Democracy
The LeFrak Forum and the Symposium on Science, Reason, and Modern Democracy are housed in the Department of Political Science at Michigan State. Led by directors Steven Kautz, Arthur Melzer, Richard Zinman, and Jerry Weinberger, the program seeks "to explore the intersection of philosophy and public policy: to place theoretical issues in practical context and policy issues in philosophical perspective." Concerned that the climate of opinion in the contemporary academy has become "dangerously narrow," the center provides a forum actively committed to genuine intellectual diversity, and sponsors conferences, lectures, research fellowships and publications.
Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey, California – Great Books Program
The Great Books program at Monterey Peninsula College, under the direction of English professor David Clemens, is one of only two such initiatives in California’s 110-member community college system. The program focuses on the classic, formative texts of Western Civilization, and does so in the belief that they are “for anyone drawn to depth and complexity rather than superficiality and ideology, to perennial questions rather than aprioristic answers.” Present course offerings are drawn from English, History and Philosophy, and are also available online. Students who complete the five-course program are awarded a Great Books Scholar certificate, indicative of a high level of intellectual proficiency and breadth of knowledge.
New York University – Alexander Hamilton Center for Political Economy
Under the guidance of founder and director Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, the Hamilton Center encourages “the competition of ideas about policy solutions to pressing domestic and international issues.” Central to this goal is the need to provide “clear and compelling ties between logic, evidence and policy conclusions,” which are too often displaced by ideological or normative preconceptions. Through its efforts in undergraduate and graduate teaching, lectures, research projects and course offerings, the Center seeks to maintain a marketplace where controversial ideas or policy proposals can be analyzed with scientific rigor and discussed or debated with civility.
Oakton Community College, Des Plaines, Illinois - Great Books Program
Great Books courses at Oakton Community College explore the significance of classic texts from both Western and non-Western traditions. Courses are offered in English, History, Humanities, Philosophy and Political Science. All courses include a limited class size, primary source readings from Great Books authors and a specific theme, such as "citizenship," "beauty," or "individuality," in addition to the regular course material. All Great Books classes are discussion-based and student-centered. Greater classroom interaction and intensive reading and writing help students develop their communication and critical thinking skills. Students who successfully complete three or more Great Books classes receive a certificate of achievement and the designation "Great Books Scholar" on their transcripts. Further information is available through the program website, or through the program coordinator, Professor Helen (Lyn) Ward Page, lpage@oakton.edu.
Ohio University - The George Washington Forum on American Ideas, Politics & Institutions
Web Link: http://www.ohio.edu/washingtonforum/Washington_Forum/Washington_Forum.html
Directed by history professor Robert C. Ingram, the George Washington Forum aims to bolster the teaching of America’s foundational principles in their Western intellectual, political, and institutional contexts. The Forum aims to help students become enlightened citizens in a liberal democracy whose roots run deep in Western civilization but whose ideals and interests transcend the West. During the 2009–10 academic year, The Washington Forum will host a major conference on Making Democracy: Violence, Politics and the American Founding (22–23 April 2010). Plenary speakers will include Andrew Cayton, Peter Onuf, David Hendrickson, Patrick Griffin, and T.H. Breen. The Forum will also host public lectures during the year by Patrick Deneen, Jack P. Greene, and Paul Halliday.
Princeton University – James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions
Founded in the summer of 2000 by its director, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence Robert P. George, the James Madison Program is a part of the Department of Politics at Princeton University. The program "is dedicated to exploring enduring questions of American constitutional law and Western political thought," as well as to "examining the application of basic legal and ethical principles to contemporary problems." The program's activities include annual visiting research fellowships and postdoctoral appointments, the Undergraduate Fellows Forum for Princeton students, sponsorship of courses in a variety of departments, and an active schedule of conferences, colloquia, seminars, and public lectures.
Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara, California – Great Books Program
Housed in the Department of English under the Direction of Professor Celeste Barber, the Great Books Curriculum at Santa Barbara City College also includes courses in Philosophy, Political Science and Theatre Arts. The program focuses on those classical works that "endear themselves not to a single life, but span the generations through time and across cultures." Students are thus able to become acquainted with and appreciate "works of Western Civilization and world literature distinguished for their timeless power, beauty and profundity." The English Department awards a certificate to students who successfully complete four courses in the Great Books program.
St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa. – Center for Political and Economic Thought
The Center for Political and Economic Thought is located within the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government and traces it origins to programs begun in 1986. Its executive director is Gary Quinlivan, Dean of the McKenna School. Its mission is to “understand and reinforce the intellectual and social underpinnings of a free and well-ordered society, with a particular emphasis on the American experience.” The programs of the Center are oriented toward the scholarly exposition of individual freedom, limited constitutional government, free market economics, and the philosophical and moral foundations of America and the West. To this end, specific initiatives of the Center include scholarships and educational activities for students, as well as the Government and Political Education Series, the annual Civitas Forum on Principles and Policies for Public Life, the biennial Culture and Policy Conference, and research and publication by the Center’s staff members. The Center has hosted some of the most important scholars, policy analysts, and commentators in the country. The Center also enhances the curricula of the political science, economics, public policy, and business programs of the McKenna School, and provides an educational forum for the Saint Vincent community and the general public.
University of Arizona – Program in the Philosophy of Freedom
Under the direction of founder David Schmidtz, the program in the Philosophy of Freedom offers undergraduates a two-course sequence in the Philosophy of Freedom, sponsors lectures by visiting professors and workshops for alumni of the UA’s graduate program in philosophy, and offers fellowships for its current graduate students. The program is also associated with the University’s Freedom Center – likewise founded by David Schmidtz – which seeks “to be a place where scholars have time for research, and where scholars have opportunities to collaborate, and more generally to develop intellectual synergies.” The Center offers courses on campus and also engages in a variety of community outreach activities.
University of Arkansas – Department of Education Reform
Established in July 2005, the Department of Education Reform in the University’s College of Education and Health Professions seeks “to advance education and economic development in Arkansas and nationwide by focusing on the improvement of K-12 schools.” Under the leadership of department chairman Jay Greene, the program currently offers ten doctoral fellowships, sponsors a regular lecture series by visiting scholars and houses the School Choice Demonstration Project which rigorously evaluates school choice policies and initiatives in several urban school districts.
University of Colorado, Boulder - Center for Western Civilization
Under Director E. Christian Kopff, the Center for Western Civilization provides an undergraduate certificate program, Foundations of Western Civilization. The rigorous course of studies seeks to impart a thorough grounding in Western culture, science and government, with particular focus on the Classical Tradition and the American Founding. The program is interdisciplinary, and offers a range of courses from departments such as English, history, philosophy, classics and religious studies. Students must maintain at least a C average academically, and complete a total of eight courses to qualify for the certificate.
University of Louisville – McConnell Center
Founded in 1991 by US Senator Mitch McConnell and presently led by Professor Gary Gregg, the McConnell Center is “dedicated to promoting a non-partisan, well-rounded education that encourages top undergraduates to become valued citizens and future leaders.” The Center sponsors lectures, panel discussions, seminars and conferences as well as a Civics Education program, intended to address within Kentucky the national problem of lack of knowledge of American history, the constitutional system and the American political process. To this end, the Center offers educational programs for teachers at the secondary and college level as well as for the general public, intended to foster a greater knowledge of American history and the problems of citizenship.
University of Maine, Orono – Program in Western Civilization and American Freedom
Web Link: Not yet available.
The Program in Western Civilization and American Freedom is currently a lecture series organized by Abraham Lincoln Professor of Political Philosophy Michael Palmer. The new initiative has thus far sponsored approximately two speakers per month on topics ranging from American history, constitutional government or contemporary intellectual issues. More speakers will be scheduled for the fall of 2009, and Professor Palmer hopes to expand the scope of the program’s activities as well. He can be contacted at Michael_Palmer@umit.maine.edu.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas – Great Works Academic Certificate
Founded in 2004 by Political Science Professor David Fott, the Great Works Academic Certificate program “provides students with an opportunity to take part in a conversation with some of the best thinkers of all time.” Students wishing to participate in the program must present a 3.00 grade-point average and complete 22 or 25 credits toward the certificate, depending on their individual needs. All students must likewise complete a two-course sequence in the History of European Civilization, followed by courses with readings from the program’s list. A seminar for seniors serves as a capstone course. Inquiries about the program should be addressed to Professor Fott.
University of South Dakota – Farber Center for Civic Leadership
Web Link: http://www.usd.edu/ctrcivic/
The Farber Center was established in 1997 by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and is currently led by Director William D. Richardson in the Department of Political Science. In general, the program seeks “to prepare students and help communities to face difficult public problems in a manner consistent with constitutional values.” This mission is realized through various components, including a six-course undergraduate minor in Leadership Studies, undergraduate scholarships, and the Farber Forums which regularly sponsor lectures by distinguished scholars and public figures.
University of Texas at Austin – The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Study of Core Texts and Ideas
Web Link: http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/coretexts/
Previously known as the Program in Western Civilizations and American Institutions, the Center for the Study of Core Texts and Ideas is presently led by co-directors Thomas and Lorraine Pangle. The Center’s mission seeks “to counter the modern university’s drift towards fragmentation and specialization by creating a locus of sustained dialogue about questions of enduring significance, and providing new ways for undergraduates to integrate their studies.” In pursuit of this general goal, the program will embrace an interdisciplinary approach focused on the most influential, shaping texts in philosophy, history, religion and literature, whereby students will be led “to think rigorously about questions of central and enduring concern.”
University of Virginia – Program on Constitutionalism and Democracy
Under the Direction of Professor James Ceaser, the Program on Constitutionalism and Democracy (PCD) “promotes scholarship and undergraduate teaching that is informed by political theory and by the political science of the American Founding.” The program consists of three basic components, the first of which supports three annual research fellowships typically awarded to new Ph.Ds, or to those whose doctoral work is nearly completed. Secondly, the PCD conducts small seminars for undergraduates devoted to the study of the American political tradition. Third, the PCD sponsors a series of lectures and seminars by invited scholars, who take part in the program’s introductory course in the American Political Tradition.
University of Wisconsin, Madison – Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy
Founded in 2006 by co-directors Donald Downs and Lester Hunt, the Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy embraces a two-fold mission: “to promote appreciation and critical understanding of the cardinal principles and institutions of liberal democracy,” and “to advance intellectual diversity at the University by taking ideas seriously that have not always enjoyed sufficient respect on campus.” The Center regularly hosts guest speakers and panel discussions, and in 2008 held its first conference. At present, a new initiative for the establishment of undergraduate forums is underway, through which major issues of liberal education will be examined by student researchers.
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee – Great Books Program
Founded in 1995 by Classics Professor and Director David Mulroy, the Great Books Certificate Program “provides an alternative for students to devote their college years to the development of broad intellectual abilities through meeting the most difficult challenges that undergraduate education has to offer.” To qualify for the Great Books certificate, students must complete 15 credits in courses approved by the program coordinator, in topical areas such as literature, history or philosophy in the Western tradition. In addition, all students must complete a two-course sequence in the History of Western Civilization, as well as advanced credits in mathematics and foreign language study.
Utah State University - The Project on Liberty and American Constitutionalism
Web Link: http://liberty.usu.edu/
Directed by political science professor Anthony A. Peacock and co-directed by political theory professor Peter McNamara, the Project examines "the meaning of liberty in the American constitutional system, with specific emphasis on the Founders' commitment to limited and responsible government that promotes individual liberty, free markets, and a strong national defense." The Project engages in three main activities: (1) Exploring the varying meanings of "liberty," (2) Exploring the meaning and jurisdiction of the U.S. Constitution, and (3) "to keep the community abreast of current Supreme Court decisions and especially their impact on questions of liberty."
Villanova University – Matthew J. Ryan Center for the Study of Free Institutions and the Public Good
The Matthew J. Ryan Center “promotes inquiry into the principles and processes of free government and seeks to advance understanding of the responsibilities of statesmen and citizens of constitutional democratic societies.” Inaugurated in 2006, the Ryan Center pursues this mission goal through a variety of activities, including the sponsorship of public lectures, conferences, and programs for visiting scholars and postdoctoral appointees. Under the directorship of Political Science Professor Colleen Sheehan, the Center is named for Matthew J. Ryan, alumnus of the university and its law school, and long-time Pennsylvania state legislator and speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Washington College - Cincinnatus Program on American Civic Leadershi pand Political Thought
The Cincinnatus Program at Washington College, a component of the college’s developing Institute for the Study of Religion, Culture, and Citizenship, is dedicated to enhancing public understanding of the remarkable contributions of George Washington to the development of the American system of ordered liberty and to inspiring future generations of leaders to emulate the selfless sacrifice for the common good embodied in the life and deeds of the father of our country. Academic reflection on the character, religious convictions, and political sophistication of Washington is coupled with a structured leadership development program to reach these critically important goals. The Cincinnatus Program is directed by Dr. Joseph Prud'homme, professor of public law and political theory.
Wilbur Wright College, Chicago – Great Books Curriculum
Founded in 1998 by Director Bruce Gans, the Great Books Curriculum at Wilbur Wright College has attracted wide attention nationally and has often served as a model for similar initiatives at other institutions. The program focuses on the seminal works of Western civilization, ranging across courses in English, Humanities, Philosophy, Social Sciences and Astronomy. Students who complete 12 credit hours of coursework in the curriculum receive a certificate upon graduation. In addition to classroom work, the program also includes student-faculty symposia, field trips, visiting lecturers and the publication of student essays in Symposium, the program’s scholarly journal.
