_800x420.JPG "Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca Visiting Fellow Jack Kennedy Schlossberg joined Valerie Biden Owens, chair of the Biden Institute at the University of Delaware, on Oct. 18 for the special event “Gen Z Impact: Your Vote Matters” held in Mitchell Hall.")
Civil discourse during an election year
Welcome to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Ithaca Initiative
About the SNF Ithaca Initiative
In the fall of 2021, the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration launched a new civil discourse pilot program supported by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). The SNF Ithaca Initiative was named after the home of Odysseus—one of Greek mythology's greatest heroes and whose talent for persuasive discourse was revered in ancient Greece. Ithaca represents not only the beginning of a journey but the ultimate destination. Likewise, the SNF Ithaca Initiative serves as both the beginning of the Biden School students' journey toward becoming engaged and effective citizens and as the ultimate destination for students across the country to come together and work in partnership to develop policy solutions.
Every student at the University of Delaware can now enroll in the Citizenship and Democracy Certificate, a program grounded in the Citizens, Civility, and Change course as well as initiative focus areas including governance, media, and leadership.
For example, SNF Ithaca Student Leaders presented at the international conference “A Matter of Trust” hosted by iMEdD (incubator for Media Education and Development) in Athens and authored their own response to the field of journalism in the report “The Door Opens Both Ways: Building Trust Between News Media and Generation Z.” Education resources have also been developed from the collaborative SNF Ithaca x iMEdD Media & Democracy Summit.
In addition to the student experience, SNF Ithaca is a national hub for scholars through convenings like the SNF Ithaca Leadership Summit, research and publications by Biden School faculty such as “Answering the call: Offering and analyzing civil discourse opportunities in undergraduate public affairs education,” white papers from SNF Ithaca Research Scholars and opportunities like the SNF Ithaca Fellows program that brings in scholars and practitioners to broaden how we understand and study democratic citizenship.
The All Politics is Personal video series, inspired by President Joe Biden’s adage that “all politics is personal,” introduces viewers to the person behind the politician, driving home the point that we can find commonality, humanity and civility even with people with whom we disagree politically.
stay updated with the latest snf ithaca news & happenings
_800x420.JPG "Guzmán visited UD’s Mitchell Hall virtually for a Q&A session with an audience including first-year students and members of the campus community. The discussion was moderated by Timothy Shaffer, Stavros Niarchos Foundation chair of civil discourse in the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration.")
Latest News
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SNF Dialogues: The Role of Universities in Modern Democracy
November 15, 2024 | Written by the Stavros Niarchos FoundationSNF Ithaca Student Leader April Anthony featured in virtual panel discussion event -
Biden School at the 2024 APPAM Annual Reseach Conference
November 10, 2024 | Written by Biden School StaffBiden School faculty and students will present their work at National Harbor, MD, at the 2024 APPAM Annual Research Conference November 21 and 22. -
Civil discourse during an election year
November 06, 2024 | Written by Meghan KeatingThe SNF Ithaca Initiative welcomed more than 120 students, faculty and staff from across the U.S. to the University of Delaware in mid-October to kick off the fourth annual SNF Ithaca National Student Dialogue, a two-day event