School of Civic Leadership - UT Austin

We’re proud to see SCL student Jaime Licon taking his civic learning beyond the classroom as one of the student speakers in the upcoming Virtual North American Student Congress: “The Pros & Cons of Democracy.”

Organized by the North American Educational Initiatives Foundation (NAEIF), the Congress brings high school and university students together to examine important civic questions from a range of perspectives, as well as practice civil discourse across differences.

This is the kind of leadership we work to cultivate at the School of Civic Leadership: engaging seriously with challenging ideas, listening to different perspectives, and contributing thoughtfully to civic life. We’re always glad to see our students seek out opportunities to put those habits into practice beyond the classroom.

📅 Saturday, August 15
⏰ 11 a.m.–2 p.m. CST
💻 Virtual + free to attend

RSVP Here: https://naeif.pulse.ly/zhpwadwwni

Note: not an official SCL event; it is part of NAEIF’s “Democracy, Republic or Democratic Republic?” series

New academic programs are coming to the Forty Acres!

The Daily Texan highlights new offerings across UT, including our new major in Great Books and upcoming certificate in classical education.

Interested in learning more? Visit our website or join us for an info session this Friday from 2–3 p.m.

RSVP Here: https://utexas.pulse.ly/o1a738kord
Read the full article from The Daily Texan:https://thedailytexan.pulse.ly/il9j8gjnp5

University’s 2026-2028 undergraduate catalog introduces 24 new programs Applications are opening for new programs in the 2026-2028 undergraduate catalog, consisting of six new majors, five certificates and 13 minors, according to the UT Office of Curriculum and Academic Administration. The programs emphasize current developing issues and topics, including artificial int...

Just a few things we think are kinda chic around here.

This week’s Freshman Friday introduces more members of SCL’s incoming class. We’re excited to welcome them to campus in less than three weeks!

Interested in learning more about SCL? Register for an upcoming Freedom & Virtue Seminar.

Learn more here: https://utexas.pulse.ly/8xuklwvrqd

Our faculty are staying busy this summer as we prepare to welcome students back to campus.

Last month, Dr. Sarah Beth Kitch co-taught Principles of American Constitutionalism, a James Madison Program summer seminar for high school students at Princeton University , alongside Adam Seagrave.

Students from New York, Hawaii, Montana, and everywhere in between explored constitutional design, conscience, religion, and race. Throughout the week, they discussed primary sources by George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexis de Tocqueville, Prince Hall, Frederick Douglass, and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers, and the Declaration of Sentiments.

The seminar also invited students to debate enduring questions of politics, theology, and public policy; hear from James Madison Program founder Robert P. George; and discuss Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as a reflection on the promise and pressures of American political life.

We’re always excited to see our faculty share their love of reading and extend opportunities for learning beyond SCL.

Kitch is associate dean of student affairs and associate professor of instruction at SCL. Seagrave is director of Teaching American History and an affiliated faculty member at Arizona State University’s School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership.

Curious about life’s biggest questions—and what makes an education worth pursuing? Attend a Freedom & Virtue Seminar at SCL to preview our classroom experience, engage with SCL faculty, explore enduring questions, and learn more about our academic programs.

RSVP here: https://utexas.pulse.ly/gnetug0ila

"The key lesson is that there exists a third path between the extremes of naïve openness and retrograde protectionism. But it begins with acknowledging reality."

Read SCL assistant professor Joshua Banerjee's latest essay, "The G7 is Failing to Address Global Imbalances," in ProMarket, a publication of the Stigler Center for the Study of the Economy and the State at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business . In this essay, Professor Banerjee discusses the global economy and the problem of persistent and surging trade imbalances, and what he refers to as a "China Shock 2.0."

Read Here:

The G7 Is Failing To Address Global Imbalances - ProMarket The global economy is in the early stages of a second China shock as the Chinese economy moves up the manufacturing value chain to produce advanced technology for export. China’s advantage lies in government subsidies and an artificially suppressed exchange rate. If advanced economies in the West ...

Ready to join the Longhorn community? Looking for a tight-knit cohort where you can wrestle with big ideas and ask deep questions?

Applications to UT Austin for fall 2027 are now open. Students can apply for a major in Civics Honors or our brand-new Great Books Honors major.

Both majors challenge students intellectually, connect them with professors across disciplines, and offer a distinctive blend of professional and classical education.

Apply Now!
https://utexas.pulse.ly/zla54mgagh

Hear from more members of the incoming SCL class of 2030 in the latest installment of our Freshman Friday series!

Applications for the class of 2031 open TOMORROW!!

The School of Civic Leadership is preparing the next generation to lead lives of purpose.

This feature from Giving to UT Austin highlights the students, faculty members, and supporters shaping SCL’s future. From welcoming its inaugural cohort of more than 100 freshmen to expanding its academic programs and faculty, the school is building a community grounded in thoughtful inquiry, principled leadership, and service.

Read “Leading Lives of Purpose” to learn more about SCL’s growing momentum and vision for civic leadership:

Leading Lives of Purpose - Giving to UT Austin With the help of generous donors and excellent faculty, UT’s new School of Civic Leadership will shape the next generation of leaders who are prepared to strengthen our communities, our state, and our nation.