Project Mission 

     The American Democracy Project is a multi-campus initiative (144 higher education institutions nation-wide, six in Minnesota) that aims to create an intellectual and experiential understanding of civic engagement in the 21^st century.  The project targets undergraduates at institutions that are members of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and works in partnership with The New York Times and other organizations (such as Campus Compact) committed to promoting civic engagement in higher education settings.

Project Definition of “Civic Engagement”  

     Civic engagement means working to make a difference in the life of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes. (Preface, page vi) 
     A morally and civically responsible individual recognizes himself or herself as a member of a larger social fabric and therefore considers social problems to be at least partly his or her own; such an individual is willing to see the moral and civic dimensions of issues to make and justify informed moral and civic judgments, and to take action when appropriate. (Introduction, page xxvi).
Thomas Ehrlich et al., Civic Responsibilities of Higher Education, 2000

Participating Higher
Education Institutions