{"id":163324,"date":"2026-01-14T09:27:19","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T14:27:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/?p=163324"},"modified":"2026-01-14T13:08:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T18:08:56","slug":"wright-state-receives-3-million-grant-to-strengthen-civic-literacy-and-engagement-across-southwest-ohio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/2026\/01\/14\/wright-state-receives-3-million-grant-to-strengthen-civic-literacy-and-engagement-across-southwest-ohio\/","title":{"rendered":"Wright State receives $3 million grant to strengthen civic literacy and engagement across Southwest Ohio"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From left, Wright State\u2019s Center for Civics, Culture and Workforce Development staff members Adam Reiman, deputy director; Jason Anderson, executive director; Diane Vitas; and Mike Jacobs, deputy director. (Photo by Erin Pence)<\/p><\/div>\n

Thousands of teachers and students will benefit from a new Wright State University initiative supported by a $3 million U.S. Department of Education grant to expand civic literacy, leadership and participation.<\/p>\n

The project \u2014 Civic Foundations: Equipping K\u201312 for America\u2019s Next 250 Years \u2014 will empower educators and students to better understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens and to apply those lessons in their classrooms, communities and daily lives.<\/p>\n

Serving a 16-county region in Southwest Ohio, the project will build a sustainable regional network of civic educators and leaders while ensuring equitable access for rural, underserved and diverse communities through hybrid and accessible programming.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, civics education must be prioritized to ensure the republic\u2019s future,\u201d said Jason Anderson, Ph.D., executive director of Wright State\u2019s Center for Civics, Culture and Workforce Development<\/a>, which is overseeing the project. \u201cEach teacher trained will impact hundreds of students across their career. Each student inspired may become a civic leader or community catalyst.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lessons will connect history to current-day events, helping educators and students see the connection between the United States\u2019 founding principles and documents, modern Supreme Court rulings, laws and everyday rights.<\/p>\n

Participants will learn about understanding their rights and responsibilities as citizens and how those rights are rooted in the traditions and customs that shaped the nation\u2019s constitutional order.<\/p>\n

\u201cCivic education is crucial for fostering informed citizens who actively participate in our system of shared governance and community life,\u201d said Mike Jacobs, Ph.D., deputy director of the Center for Civics, Culture and Workforce Development. \u201cThis grant enables us to invest in our local teachers and students to make this happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three-year program includes:<\/p>\n