Center of Civic Education

Following the Iowa Board of Regents approval for the creation of the Center for Civic Education at the University of Northern Iowa, UNI is asking for $1 million in state support to help launch the center. This new initiative is aimed at fostering civic engagement among students, faculty and community members. The center builds on UNI’s strong foundation in civic education. UNI already has civic education curriculum in place, created by a multidisciplinary team of faculty members with the support of a competitive National Endowment for the Humanities grant. The university also offers strong emco-curricular programs that help students and the public engage in civic discourse. UNI’s tradition as the state’s teacher education leader gives it the opportunity to expand that reach to K-12 education.

The Center for Civic Education will serve as a nationally recognized leader in research, teaching, and public outreach in free speech and civic education. It is established in response to a directive by the Board of Regents “to explore a proposal, including cost, to establish a widespread initiative that includes opportunities for education and research on free speech and civic education.”

The Center will enhance civic education among university students, pre-K-12 students and teachers, and the broader public by developing and implementing effective civic learning strategies, encouraging respectful dialogue across differences, and offering educational resources on free speech and civic knowledge. It will serve the state of Iowa by centering civic education and free speech in its activities, and will promote the values of free speech, civic leadership, public service, and citizenship.