Over the weekend, Ambassador A.B. Culvahouse delivered an inspiring address as the keynote speaker for Cumberland University’s 2025 undergraduate commencement ceremony. He shared personal stories, reflections on public service, and a powerful message about leadership, civic responsibility, and national unity. His speech challenged graduates to embrace diverse perspectives and reinforced their readiness as they enter […]
Knoxville, TN (May 8, 2025) – Recently, 217 students from across Tennessee participated in the 2025 Tennessee History Day Competition. Fifty-nine students chose to focus their projects on American Constitutional Liberties to be considered for a special award presented by the Institute of American Civics (IAC) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The annual competition […]
The Institute of American Civics (IAC) Executive Director Josh Dunn has been appointed to the National Commission on American History and Civic Education by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA). The appointment gives him the opportunity to contribute to a coordinated effort to strengthen the civic health of our nation. The commission will […]
In celebration of Constitution Day, the Institute of American Civics (IAC) at the Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, hosted Keith Whittington, the David Boies Professor of Law at Yale Law School. Whittington’s teaching and scholarship span American constitutional theory, American political […]
Baker School freshman Rami Ammar discovered his passion for politics and policy through Youth in Government (YIG), starting in 7th grade and participating in the program through high school. “I initially got involved to better grasp policy’s impact on our lives,” Ammar said. Which is exactly what YIG aims to do, giving middle and high […]
Knoxville, Tennessee – The Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee’s Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs will host Keith E. Whittington, the David Boies Professor of Law at Yale Law School, on September 17, 2024, at 5:30 p.m. This is the first of the Baker School’s fall […]
The Student Government Associations of the University of Tennessee (UT) and The University of Florida (UF) have challenged each other to a voter engagement competition in the weeks leading up to the November 5 federal election. UT and UF will compete over which school can get the most people to complete the voter registration and […]
Dr. Frankie Nicole Weaver, educational outreach programs manager for the University of Tennessee’s Institute of American Civics (IAC) housed at the Howard H. Baker Jr School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, was selected to join the second cohort of Clemson University’s Civic Engagement and Voting Rights Teacher Scholar Program. The program serves as an […]
KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – The Howard H. Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs (Baker School) has framed its fall public programming around the November 5, presidential election, encouraging the University of Tennessee community to Get Informed. Get Engaged. Vote. The programming includes three public events aimed at exploring important topics that will be impacted […]
The Institute of American Civics, housed in the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, conducted a statewide survey this spring examining civic knowledge and participation by Tennesseans. The survey report says its results lead to two obvious conclusions: “It is crucial that Tennesseans develop a higher level of civic knowledge, and the process […]