In anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence in July 2026, Michigan State University’s James Madison College is embarking on an ambitious initiative to deepen civic understanding among Michigan’s high school students and educators. This new endeavor is structured around a substantial three-year grant amounting to $1.3 million awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. The grant funds the establishment of the James Madison College Academy for Civic Education (ACE), a pioneering program designed to immerse participants in the foundational pillars that underpin American democracy, facilitated through rigorous examination of primary historical sources.
The ACE program distinguishes itself by adopting a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach, contrary to programs that address facets of civics in isolation. It is constructed upon five core pillars: constitutional political institutions, the principles of free markets, exemplary statesmanship, the cultivation of citizenship and civic virtue, and the contributions of scientific and technological innovation to American society. This multi-dimensional framework aligns with James Madison College’s political theory and constitutional democracy curriculum, affording a broader exploration of American political heritage and its ongoing evolution in practice.
Professor Tobin Craig, leader of the initiative and a professor with expertise in political theory and constitutional democracy, emphasizes the criticality of this integrative view. According to Craig, understanding American institutions without appreciating the philosophical and historical assumptions about human nature and government purpose leads to a partial and ultimately inadequate comprehension. The ACE program aims to bridge this gap, helping young learners grasp the constitutional regime’s underlying principles and tensions that persist beyond contemporary political polarizations.
The curriculum expertly navigates primary documents such as the U.S. Constitution and the Federalist Papers, supplemented by influential speeches and writings that have shaped, challenged, and refined American democratic thought. ACE’s faculty, drawn from James Madison College’s esteemed scholars, include experts in classical philosophy, American statesmanship, political economy, and constitutional history. Professors Eric Petrie and Benjamin Lorch bring profound insight into philosophical and statesmanship traditions, while Brianne Wolf and Jordan Cash focus on teacher education, combining historical scholarship with practical pedagogical strategies.
Starting in the summer of 2026, the Academy will host a selective, fully funded two-week residential seminar for 20 to 25 rising high school seniors. These students will engage deeply with seminal texts and participate in discourse-driven sessions designed to foster critical thinking and analytical skills. The seminar’s first phase will examine the American regime broadly — its philosophical genesis, constitutional order, and the role commerce, science, and technology play in sustaining democratic governance. The second phase will concentrate on American statesmanship and citizenship, featuring readings from seminal figures such as Alexander Hamilton, Alexis de Tocqueville, Frederick Douglass, and Abraham Lincoln.
The program deliberately extends learning beyond the classroom by integrating field trips to significant civic and historical sites, such as the Michigan State Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum, complemented by visits to Detroit’s civil rights landmarks. These experiential components intend to ground abstract political concepts in tangible historical and contemporary civic realities, enhancing participants’ understanding of the American political tradition’s depth and ongoing vibrancy.
Complementing the student program, ACE provides targeted teacher seminars aimed at equipping educators with effective methodologies for integrating primary historical documents into their curricula. Recognizing educators’ consistent challenges in bringing difficult texts to life, these seminars emphasize practical tools like the “Great Debates” discussion format and close textual analysis. By fostering educators’ content mastery and pedagogical confidence, ACE seeks to multiply its impact statewide, ultimately benefiting diverse classroom settings.
To ensure broad accessibility and statewide reach, the teacher programs will rotate locations annually, targeting metropolitan centers such as Detroit and Grand Rapids, as well as northern Michigan. This decentralized approach addresses geographical and logistical barriers, fostering a more inclusive educational environment. Moreover, plans for expansive growth in program capacity anticipate increasing the number of participants significantly over the three-year grant period, alongside specialized weekend colloquia addressing nuanced topics such as race and American politics, science and technology’s role in democratic thought, and U.S. foreign policy.
The ACE initiative is timely given alarming national trends highlighted in the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, which revealed that only 14% of eighth graders attained proficiency in history and just 22% in civics. These disconcerting statistics underscore an urgent need for comprehensive civics education that transcends rote memorization. ACE addresses this through immersive textual analysis anchored in foundational American political philosophy, aiming to cultivate a nuanced, informed, and engaged citizenry.
Professor Craig notes the paradoxical climate of contemporary American civic life, characterized by both diminishing trust in institutions and escalating political polarization. The ACE program aspires to mediate this dissonance by fostering critical understanding and dialogue grounded in shared democratic principles. By equipping future citizens with historical context and analytical tools, the initiative hopes to nurture thoughtful political engagement and informed decision-making, fostering bridges across partisan divides.
Ultimately, the James Madison College Academy for Civic Education endeavors to empower the next generation of leaders, cultivating what Craig terms a “statesman’s vantage point.” This holistic educational experience imagines students transcending entrenched political stances to engage with the complexities and responsibilities that democratic governance entails. Through ACE, Michigan State University affirms its dedication to advancing civic literacy and strengthening the very foundations of American democracy at a pivotal historical moment.
Applications for the inaugural summer programs will open in early 2026, with further details and developments slated for public announcement as planning progresses. Interested participants are encouraged to submit their initial interest via an online form, signaling a new era of transformative civic education rooted in rigorous scholarship and community engagement.
Subject of Research: American civic education and constitutional democracy
Article Title: James Madison College Launches Pioneering Civic Education Academy to Mark America’s 250th Anniversary
News Publication Date: November 2025
Web References:
– https://jmc.msu.edu/ace
– https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2025/11/civic-education-academy
– https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_brrLv6wZ3mQazaK
Keywords: Political science, Government, American democracy, Civic education, Constitutional studies, Statesmanship, Political institutions, Civic virtue, Science and technology in politics
