UNO Selected to Participate in Political Learning and Engagement Initiative

UNO has been selected as part of a 12-campus coalition to participate in a new two-year initiative, “Assessing and Improving Political Learning and Engagement on Campus.” The project is sponsored by the American Democracy Project (ADP), a program of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).

This research-to-practice initiative aims to improve nonpartisan student political learning and participation. UNO will help pilot processes for engaging campus communities to ensure that all students are prepared to be informed, engaged citizens. Over the next several months, faculty, students, and staff will be invited to participate in focus groups to assess campus environments related to political learning & engagement.

Amanda Antico, executive director of AASCU’s American Democracy Project explains, “Too few young Americans participate in even the most fundamental forms of civic engagement, such as voting…. ADP hopes to educate, inspire and prepare college students for a life of active civic engagement in order to cultivate a more vibrant democracy.”

Other participants include:

• Central State University (OH)
• Fayetteville State University (NC)
• Ferris State University (MI)
• Illinois State University (IL)
• Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IN)
• James Madison University (VA)
• Keene State College (NH)
• Sam Houston State University (TX)
• San Francisco State University (CA)
• Stockton University (NJ)
• Weber State University (UT)

For more information or to participate in the project contact UNO’s campus liaison, Dr. Barbara Pickering at bpickering@unomaha.edu

To read the complete release and learn more about the initiative, please visit the AASCU website.