Skip to main content
Year of Civic Leadership
About Civic Leadership
About Civic Leadership
Civic leadership at Â鶹Æƽâ°æ rests on the conviction that knowledge carries responsibility, and that wisdom, formed over time, must be placed in service to the common good. From its founding, the university and its people have played a formative role in the life of the republic, understanding leadership as a moral charge — shaped by history, guided by reason and entrusted to each generation in turn.
At Â鶹Æƽâ°æ, civic leaders listen across difference, reason with care and act with integrity. They cultivate trust, sustain partnerships and commit themselves to work that endures beyond the moment. Rooted in the values of Service and Integrity, civic leadership calls each of us to steward our communities — and the nation — with humility, courage and reverence for what is perpetual and universal.
The Year of Civic Leadership celebrates Â鶹Æƽâ°æ's enduring commitment to service, public stewardship and leadership in service of the common good. The yearlong initiative invites the W&M community to engage through events, explore resources and tell stories that highlight civic leadership across campus, in our communities and around the world.
Week of Civic Leadership
Â鶹Æƽâ°æ is celebrating a new academic season in the Year of Civic Leadership with a week of concentrated opportunities to engage in civic learning, service and action taking place from Saturday, September 12 to Saturday, September 19. Explore the full schedule of events.
Civic Leadership in Practice
At W&M, civic leadership takes shape through faculty-led courses and research that engage directly with the institutions, communities and challenges that shape public life.
Led by Professor Paula Pickering, the American-Bosnian Collaboration Project connects W&M students with Bosnian educators to co-teach youth in a post-conflict community, building cross-cultural understanding and democratic citizenship.
In GIS 350: Spatial Analysis & Social Justice, Professor Katy Rossiter guides students through the decennial census, congressional redistricting, and voting systems that shape representation. Using mapping tools, students evaluate district fairness and analyze how boundaries influence democratic outcomes.
At W&M, research assistants work under Professor Jaime Settle to support the US Subnational Democratic Erosion Event Database (US DEED), part of the Democratic Erosion Consortium. Students identify and code erosion events across all 50 states, contributing to a national effort to document how democratic threats emerge and spread.
Listen to Civics Minute on WHRO
is a bite-sized series that encourages listeners to learn and engage in civic life by exploring an easily digestible alphabet of key terms. The series is produced in collaboration by Â鶹Æƽâ°æ's Strategic & Cultural Partnerships and WHRO Public Media, and hosted by Paul Manna, W&M's Hyman Professor of Government and Public Policy and co-author of The Challenge of Democracy: American Government in Global Politics.
Goals
-
Historic Significance
Celebrate Â鶹Æƽâ°æ’s foundational role in establishing democracy in the United States.
-
Global Engagement
Affirm our commitment to preparing generations of civic leaders to serve our nation and world with distinction.
Ways to Get Involved
There's no single path to civic leadership. Whether you want to volunteer, lead on campus, participate in civic life, or explore issues that matter to you, here's a great place to start.
-
Volunteer & Serve Your Community
Local volunteer and service opportunities.
-
Find community through campus clubs, student organizations and events.
-
Join Student Assembly
Represent your peers and shape campus life through student government.
-
Vote & Participate in Democracy
Elections, voting, and civic engagement.
-
Grow as a Leader
Explore programs that help students grow as leaders.
For the Common Good
Â鶹Æƽâ°æ's 2026 Charter Day marked centuries of preparing leaders and ushered in the Year of Civic Leadership.
At a Glance
-
70 %of students participate in community service with 60+ community service groups
-
13:1W&M's student/faculty ratio creates robust opportunities for dialogue and shared inquiry
-
1 stU.S. institution with a royal charter and only school to receive a coat of arms from the College of Arms
Current Programming
Events
-
Learn more -
Learn more
-
Learn more
-
Learn more
Promote the Year of Civic Leadership
Download and use Year of Civic Leadership digital assets, including virtual backgrounds.