State Conference at Rutgers Highlights Civic Participation Ahead of Nation’s 250th Anniversary
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Just over the Delaware River, mere miles from the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, the location of this year’s CivicsNJ symposium at Rutgers University–Camden on Wednesday could not have been more fitting.
Held during Civic Learning Week, the gathering of state educators, community leaders, and funders met to discuss the future of civics in this semiquincentennial year.
Formed in 2025, CivicsNJ is a nonpartisan coalition that seeks to advance civic engagement and learning throughout the state.
A capacity crowd filled the Rutgers–Camden Campus Center’s multi-purpose room for the conference, surrounded by displayed photos taken by young people from across the city of Camden. Collaborating with local artist Erik James Montgomery, the images shared their visions for America’s future.
Keynote speaker Jane Kamensky, the executive director of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello who also recently appeared on the Ken Burns documentary series The American Revolution, emphasized what she called a reflective patriotism that carries our founding forward.
“Our history, our present, our future—what the Declaration called ‘one people’—needs the whole cast: the stars, the character actors, the extras, the crew, and especially their children,” she said. “It needs us all, as founders.”
Chancellor Antonio D. Tillis introduced Dale Caldwell, New Jersey lieutenant governor and secretary of state, whose own family is steeped in civic engagement. His daughter Ashley, a senior at the New Brunswick campus, is the city’s youngest elected school board member of the board of education. His father, Gilbert Caldwell Jr., was a civil rights pioneer who walked arm-in-arm with Martin Luther King Jr.
Following movements that secured the right to vote, Caldwell stressed the impact of elections on communities and the importance of civic participation. “This is so critical for our state and for our nation,” he said. “The New Jersey constitution begins the same way as the United States constitution: We, the people,” he added. “I think we often take that so lightly. It's We, the people.”
A panel of Rutgers–Camden scholars and students shared how community-engaged research, partnerships, and service learning are core elements of the university experience. Nathaniel Wright, graduate director of the public affairs program and associate professor of public policy and administration, discussed the Urban Innovation Fund, a collaboration between university researchers and community organizations to address areas of need in the areas Rutgers–Camden serves.
Nursing major Jada Lowe and urban studies major Alex Simone shared how their experiences in the Bonner Civic Scholars program and the RUC Votes Coalition, respectively, have enriched their academic journeys.
Chancellor Tillis added that the university is a repeat winner of the NJ State Ballot Bowl, a friendly, nonpartisan voter competition to increase civic engagement among college students by registering the most voters during election seasons.
“As we approach the nation's 250th anniversary, the future of civics will not be defined only by what we teach in classrooms, but also by how we prepare people to participate in the life of their communities and their democracy,” he said.
