Democracy Is Something Students Must Practice

The closing plenary, “Leading for Democracy on America’s Campuses,” brought together academic leaders and students from AASCU institutions for a conversation about civic learning, democratic engagement, and the role higher education can play in strengthening our democracy. The conversation was moderated by Nia Haydel from Complete College America and featured Sterhlyng Adkins-Dutro and Clarenda Phillips of Missouri State University; Jill Arensdorf and Isaac Hargett of Fort Hays State University; and Dimetri Horner of Harris-Stowe State University.

The institutional leaders shared compelling examples of work happening on their campuses. But some of the most powerful voices in the room belonged to the students. They did more than describe civic engagement; they demonstrated what it looks like in action.

They talked about creating opportunities for their peers to participate in civic life, building spaces for dialogue, engaging with issues affecting their communities, and helping other students recognize their own ability to make a difference. What struck me was not simply what these students were doing, but how they understood their responsibility to others.

Their leadership reflected curiosity rather than cynicism. They demonstrated a willingness to engage rather than retreat, and they understood that participation in democracy extends far beyond what happens at the ballot box.

Too often, civic engagement is reduced to voter registration and turnout. Those efforts are essential, and campuses should continue investing in them. But preparing students for democratic participation requires something broader.

It means helping students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to participate meaningfully in public life. It means learning how to listen, deliberate, collaborate across differences, evaluate information critically, understand institutions, exercise agency, and contribute to communities.

In other words, civic engagement is student development.

The students participating in the AASCU Summer Meeting demonstrated precisely that. Through their civic leadership, they were developing capacities that will serve them long after graduation—in their workplaces, their communities, and our democracy.

Their passion, optimism, and commitment gave me tremendous hope. They reminded all of us of what is possible when students are given opportunities to lead and participate.

For more than two decades, ADP has helped AASCU members prepare students for lives of informed and engaged citizenship. That work takes many forms across our campuses: voter education and participation, civic learning, dialogue across differences, community engagement, student leadership, faculty development, and opportunities for students to examine some of the most pressing issues facing their communities and our country.

What I saw at the AASCU Summer Meeting reinforced a principle that has long been central to ADP’s work: Democracy cannot simply be something students study. It must be something they practice.

Students can learn to participate in communities, navigate disagreement, work alongside people with different perspectives, evaluate competing claims, solve problems collaboratively, and recognize their own capacity to influence the institutions and communities around them. These are democratic capacities. They are also essential outcomes of a college education.

Importantly, they complement rather than compete with our responsibility to prepare students for successful careers. Employers need graduates who can communicate, collaborate, think critically, navigate complexity, and work productively across differences. Democracy needs those same capacities.

Preparing students for work and preparing them for citizenship are not separate missions. Both are fundamental to preparing students for meaningful lives.