American Democracy Project Civic Fellows

ADP Civic Fellows explore assessment, research, and programmatic efforts that enact and support ADP’s mission and national work during a one or two-year renewable terms.

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Civic Fellows help to support ADP’s mission. 

Who should participate?

  • Faculty
  • Staff

How will you benefit?

  • Programmatic and publication opportunities
  • Leadership positions on national initiatives 
  • Connections to the ADP network of institutions 

ADP invites rolling applications for this opportunity designed to give professionals/scholars in our network a national platform to develop their research and programmatic ideas. ADP Civic Fellows will be part of a cohort experience and will work closely with our director and steering committee to design and advance ADP national initiatives.

Each Fellow is expected to provide the following information to the ADP Director:

  • A one-page proposal delineating the focus of your Civic Fellowship, including where ADP can assist you and your intended timeline and outcomes;
  • Specify a one-or two-year appointment (both types are renewable);
  • An overview report and an updated proposal at the halfway mark of your term, delineating your progress;
  • A final report at the conclusion of your term, which can be leveraged to re-start the Civic Fellowship;
  • Updates to the Steering Committee and the larger ADP community about your project as needed.
  • Participate in calls with the ADP Director
  • Participate in the ADP Steering Committee as an ex officio member during  the term of the fellowship.

If you are interested in joining as a team to be in the Civic Fellow program, the only modification would be that you ask one member of your team to be the Steering Committee ex officio member. All reports that you provide would be as a team and quarterly calls would ideally include the full team.

Hear from our civic fellows.

Being an ADP Civic Fellow has allowed me to better engage with the way my scholarship and service can inform matters of race, gender, sexuality, and socio-economic class as rhetorical acts. In the work I do at Illinois State University, I include civic engagement and democratic participation as central pieces. My interest in advancing civic engagement has grown through my role as Civic Fellow.

Byron Craig

Assistant Professor, School of Communication
Illinois State University

Over the course of my career, I’ve transitioned from primarily focusing on the deployment of civic engagement in my curriculum and co-curriculum to embedding civic skill building into the overall structure and culture of a university. Being an ADP Civic Fellow has allowed me to adapt my work to the changing nature of my leadership as a faculty member in higher education.

Chapman Rackaway

Professor and Chair, Political Science
Radford University

Apply to become a civic fellow.