Cyclone Civics will be hosting a professional development conference Feb. 19 at the Memorial Union.
According to the Cyclone Civics website, the creation of the program was a response to the persistent gaps in American civic literacy and skills.
Providing the opportunity for education and research on civic education and free speech, President Wendy Wintersteen announced the creation of the program in Nov. 2024.
“The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences welcomes the opportunity to lead Cyclone Civics,” Benjamin Withers, then-senior vice president and provost, stated in a university press release. “With our diverse academic majors, interdisciplinary programs, and innovative centers and institutes, the college is well-prepared to equip faculty, students, and staff with civics and free speech education, leadership and guidance.”
The program also works with on and off-campus partners promoting nonpartisan civic education and free expression.
The event is held for Iowa State faculty, administrators and staff, focusing on facilitating dialogue collaboration and sharing of best practices for integrating civic literacy and engagement.
The conference will touch on civic learning and how it can be practiced in classroom teaching, extracurricular activities, student-led organizations and learning initiatives.
“The purpose of Cyclone Civics is to help faculty and staff across disciplines and across different functions to be able to think about how they can incorporate civics into what they are teaching, whether it’s in the classroom or outside the classroom,” Karen Kedrowski, director of the Carrie Chapman Center for Women and Politics, stated in a press release.
Kedrowski is the director of Cyclone Civics, while political science professor Kelly Shaw is the associate director.
According to the university, the program addresses Directive 9 from the Board of Regents, which directs each university to establish “widespread initiative that includes opportunities for education and research on free speech and civic education.”
There is no cost for attendees and the conference will be going from noon to 4:30 p.m. Learn more about this event by visiting this website.
