The UNC School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to bolster civic education, scholarship, and leadership development. The award includes a $10 million matching grant and $100,000 in direct funding.
This investment will support the creation of eight endowed professorships in areas such as American political thought, constitutionalism, classical civic education, great books, and leadership. The ultimate goal is to establish SCiLL as a world-class civics school, addressing national concerns about declining civic knowledge, historical literacy, and civil discourse, supporters say.
“We’re educating citizen leaders for constitutional self-government through free inquiry and civil discourse, and this grant allows us to do that at a higher level, so we can recruit top scholars of the text ideas and traditions that shaped American democracy,” said Jed Atkins, dean and director of the School of Civic Life and Leadership, in an interview with Carolina Journal. “Their teaching will give students the knowledge, judgment, and habits they need to lead wisely and talk across real differences.”
“With NEH’s support, [the UNC School of Civic Life and Leadership] can become a national hub for viewpoint-diverse civics-related scholarship,” added Dan DiSalvo, professor and associate dean of faculty development and curriculum at the school, in a statement. “This investment allows us to recruit distinguished faculty who will prepare the next generation of scholars committed to civic education as well as leaders who will contribute to communities across the nation.”
Following initial approval from UNC-Chapel Hill trustees in early 2023, SCiLL officially launched in fall 2024. The school operates on $4 million in non-recurring funding from the NC General Assembly as start-up funds. In October 2025, the US Department of Education also awarded the school $979,000 for a summer civics institute.
SCiLL currently offers a minor that focuses on connecting philosophy, history, politics, and economics to help students explore foundational American texts and civic traditions. The ultimate goal is to prepare students to engage in public discourse in a pluralistic democracy.
For the future, Atkins said the school plans to create a doctorate-level program focused on American thought and constitutionalism, plus a masters-level program in military leadership.
“There’s a growing hunger in this country for serious civic education, but not enough scholars trying to teach it well,” said Atkins. “We’re educating citizen-leaders for constitutional self-government through free inquiry and civil discourse, and we’re looking forward to doing that at an even higher level.”
