Skip to main content
2026 AAC&U Annual Meeting Main banner
Final Program


PDF Program Schedule
Starred Sessions
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.

Educating for a Democracy in Question

Toward Civic Prosperity: How College Presidents Are Reclaiming Higher Ed’s Public Promise

Friday, January 23, 2026
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM East Coast USA Time
Location: Marquis Salons 12/13 - Level M2
At a moment of democratic fragility and public skepticism toward higher education, be in conversation with four college presidents—all part of the Project Pericles consortium—to explore how to advance civic and community engagement and demonstrate higher education’s public purpose. This session will surface concrete, transferable strategies for integrating community-engaged learning and research (CELR) into the institutional fabric of your university to strengthen commitments to democratic practice and student preparation.

Panelists will share distinct leadership approaches linking CELR with free expression, regional development, global learning, and student success. Attendees will take part in guided discussions to map civic outcomes to their own institutional goals. This session will affirm CELR as a powerful lever for rebuilding trust, deepening impact, and demonstrating higher education’s value in a polarized democracy.