Hoover Institution (Stanford, CA) — The Center for Revitalizing American Institutions (RAI) is proud to announce its inaugural cohort of national civics fellows, who will work to develop exemplary work in civic education and advance high-quality research to inform civic policy and practice across America.
The National Civics Fellowship, a year-long program, brings together exemplary leaders from K–12 education, postsecondary institutions, and civil society. Organized into research and practice tracks, fellows will produce impactful policy recommendations, practitioner resources, and public scholarship aimed at equipping citizens for effective self-governance.
Fellows will showcase their work at in-person gatherings and contribute written pieces to reach educators, policymakers, and civic leaders across America. Each fellow will develop a capstone project during their year and spend at least one week in residence at Hoover during their fellowship.
The capstone project will involve an opportunity to present their work and solicit feedback from each other, along with Hoover fellows and Stanford faculty as well as external thought leaders in the civics ecosystem.
The initiative is led by Hoover Volker Senior Fellow Chester E. Finn, Jr., who chairs RAI’s Civics and American Citizenship Working Group.
“This extraordinary opportunity brings cultural and public history institutions into the room with some of the most accomplished researchers and practitioners in the civic learning field,” said Sarah Jencks, one of the four inaugural National Civics Fellows. “It nurtures a community of practice that breaks down the siloes that have long separated us.”
Selected from expert nominations, this pilot cohort intentionally includes individuals with different backgrounds, perspectives, and institutional affiliations. Fellows represent the highest standards in civic teaching and scholarship and will help position Hoover and RAI as central hubs of innovation, collaboration, and leadership in the civics ecosystem.
“Already, I've been able to connect with thoughtful colleagues and strengthen the work I've been doing,” said Joseph Kahne, another one of the four. “In the current moment, I'm grateful for the chance to partner with others on this vital agenda.”
Meet the 2025 National Civics Fellows:
Trygve Throntveit, PhD
Trygve Throntveit is research professor at Ball State University and associate director of its Center for Economic and Civic Learning. A historian and national leader in civic renewal, he expanded the Third Way Civics initiative and coauthors guides to undergraduate civic learning. Widely published, he directs the Institute for Public Life and Work and has presented on civic learning in the US, Europe, and Asia.
Sarah Jencks
Sarah Jencks is founder of Every Museum a Civic Museum, guiding museums and historic sites to articulate their civic missions for the 250th anniversary of the United States. She is a leader in national initiatives including the Educating for American Democracy Community Learning Partners Task Force, served fifteen years as director of education at Ford’s Theatre, and sits on the boards of the National Council for History Education and Literacy InterActives.
Stephen Morris, EdD
Stephen Morris is CEO and cofounder of the Civic Education Center, advancing civic dialogue among students and educators through service-learning. With more than twenty years in K–12 schools, he cofounded a private school for underserved youth in Los Angeles, developed ethnic studies curricula rooted in US founding ideals, and works researching equity, school choice, and the role of founding principles in democratic renewal.
Joseph Kahne, PhD
Joseph Kahne is the Ted and Jo Dutton Presidential Professor of Education Policy and Politics at University of California, Riverside, and director of the Civic Engagement Research Group. He researches school practices, digital media, and youth political development and leads national projects such as Connecting Classrooms to Congress and the Roadmap to Educating for American Democracy. A recognized scholar, Kahne serves on multiple national commissions and is a member of the National Academy of Education.
On August 18 and 19, 2025, the four new civics fellows gathered at the Hoover Institution to be introduced to each other and to the resources available at the Hoover Institution and across Stanford, as well as engage in initial discussions for their capstone projects.
They will also interact with senior members of the Hoover fellowship to determine what resources they can utilize to succeed in their mission.
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For more information visit https://www.hoover.org/research-teams/working-group-on-civics-and-american-citizenship.
