LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Michigan State University is launching a new statewide initiative aimed at strengthening civics education as the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
The James Madison College Academy for Civic Education, or ACE, is funded by a three-year, $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The program will offer immersive summer seminars for high school students and professional development opportunities for educators across Michigan.
Program director Tobin Craig said the effort began when the Department of Education sought proposals to commemorate the nation’s upcoming milestone anniversary.
“In the summer of 2025, a notice was posted at the Department of Education that they were interested in programming that would celebrate or help commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence,” Craig said. “We saw this as a real opportunity for us and for James Madison College to sort of make a contribution to civics education in the state.”
The program will run two parallel tracks. One includes a two-week residential summer program at MSU for rising high school seniors. Students will participate in discussion-based seminars focused on primary historical documents, including the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Federalist Papers.
Craig said the program is designed to give students a deeper understanding of American government and encourage meaningful dialogue.
“These shared texts provide the opportunity for us to deliberate in common about the things that matter most to us and about which we often disagree,” Craig said.
Students will also participate in educational field trips, including visits to the Michigan State Capitol and the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum, along with additional cultural activities intended to connect civic learning with real-world experiences.
A second track will focus on high school educators. Teachers will participate in a week-long training program combining in-depth study of historical documents with classroom teaching strategies. Participants will receive stipends and continuing education credit.
Craig said strengthening civics education is critical, as surveys show many Americans lack a basic understanding of government.
“The American regime, on the one hand, derives its legitimacy and ultimately rests upon the consent of the governed, that is, the people,” Craig said. “We’re meant to be a self-governing people. But it’s also a highly complicated form of government.”
The program is free for participants, and travel expenses are covered for students and teachers across Michigan, including those traveling from the Upper Peninsula.
Craig said the ultimate goal is to help prepare students and educators to become more informed and engaged citizens.
“In our view, civics education isn’t just about veneration for the founding,” Craig said. “It’s really about learning about how to be an effective citizen in a self-governing republic.”
Applications for the student program are now open, and additional teacher programming is expected to expand statewide in the coming years. You can view application information here: jmc.msu.edu/ace
