Madison Vision Series continues with Constitution Day lecture

Raj Vinnakota, president of the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, will discuss bridging our political divides and the role of democracy in higher education to celebrate Constitution Day at JMU. His presentation and fireside chat will take place on Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. in Wilson Hall Auditorium.

The Institute for Citizens and Scholars is one of the nation’s foremost foundations for cultivating talent, ideas and networks that develop young people as empowered, lifelong citizens. Vinnakota leads the institute’s College Presidents for Civic Preparedness initiative, a coalition of 92 college and university presidents focusing on creating campuses as vibrant hubs of civic engagement and civil discourse. JMU is one of 12 founding members of the initiative.

Vinnakota has dedicated his life to initiatives that help Americans become productive and engaged members of society, including co-founding the SEED Foundation, the nation’s first network of public, college-preparatory boarding schools for underserved children, and serving as executive vice president of the Aspen Institute, which offers programs devoted to youth leadership development and civic engagement. Vinnakota currently co-chairs the Civics and Civic Engagement Taskforce for the U.S Semiquincentennial Commission, which is responsible for promoting and coordinating the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding in 2026.

For this Madison Vision Series event, Vinnakota will be joined on stage for a fireside chat with Dr. David Kirkpatrick and Dr. Kara Dillard, as well as a student Democracy Fellow, followed by a Q-and-A session with members of the audience.

The event is free and open to the public. It will also be livestreamed on YouTube.

Parking for off-campus guests will be available on Levels 3-5 of the Mason Street deck.