Congress to Campus
Stored: Congress to Campus
| Type | Program |
|---|---|
| Sponsor Organization | U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress |
| Top Organization | Department of State |
| Creation Legislation | Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 1976 |
| Website | Website |
| Purpose | The Congress to Campus program brings former Members of Congress to colleges to educate students about government and public service careers. It aims to foster civic literacy, bipartisanship, and interest in public service among young Americans. |
| Program Start | 1976 |
| Initial Funding | Congressional appropriations |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Historic | No |
Congress to Campus (C2C) is a Department of State-supported initiative led by the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC) that connects bipartisan teams of former lawmakers with over 57,000 college students across the United States since 1976, providing civic education through in-person and virtual dialogues at more than 900 campuses by 2025 to enhance understanding of Congress and encourage careers in public service.
Partnered with the Stennis Center for Public Service since 1996, it hosts 50-60 annual visits—each typically two days—featuring discussions on legislative processes, bipartisanship, and current issues, with a $3,000 host donation per visit, reaching diverse institutions from St. Bonaventure University to Bluefield State, and adapting with virtual sessions since 2020 to maintain engagement amid evolving educational landscapes.
Goals
- Enhance civic literacy by educating students on Congress’s role and operations.[1]
- Promote bipartisanship and civility, showcasing dialogue between former lawmakers of opposing parties.
- Inspire public service careers, targeting over 1,300 students annually with direct engagement.
Organization
The Congress to Campus program is sponsored by the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress (FMC), a non-profit under the Department of State’s public diplomacy framework, in partnership with the Stennis Center for Public Service and supported by the Park Foundation.[2] Funding comes from Congressional appropriations via FMC’s budget, supplemented by host institution donations ($3,000 per visit) and grants, managed by a small staff coordinating with campus hosts—typically academic departments or student groups—and deploying former Representatives like Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) and Jeff Miller (R-FL).
The leader at the Department of State level is the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, currently Lee Satterfield (as of February 19, 2025), with FMC’s Congress to Campus Program Manager, Abby Haas, overseeing operations.
Partners
History
The Congress to Campus program was established in 1976 under the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of 1976, which funded FMC’s creation, evolving from informal campus visits into a structured civic education effort by the 1980s.[3] It grew with Stennis Center partnership in 1996, expanding to over 900 campuses by 2025, with key adaptations including virtual sessions in 2020 (54 sessions, 44 campuses in 2022) and a 2023 focus on technology’s impact on politics at RPI. It remains a vital tool for fostering bipartisanship and public service interest.
Funding
Initial funding in 1976 came from Congressional appropriations establishing FMC, with specific amounts unisolated from broader budgets.[4] Funding began in 1976 and continues, with FMC’s FY 2023 budget supplemented by $3,000 per-visit host donations (50-60 visits annually, ~$150,000-$180,000), supporting logistics, travel, and staff, with no end date as appropriations and partnerships sustain operations like 2025’s planned 60 visits.
Implementation
The program was implemented through campus visits—typically two-day in-person or shorter virtual sessions—coordinated by FMC staff and host liaisons, featuring bipartisan former lawmakers engaging students via classes, forums, and Q&As.[5] It operates year-round, requiring six weeks for in-person planning and two for virtual, reaching over 1,300 students live annually, with no end date, adapting in 2025 to emphasize digital civics education.
Related
External links
- https://www.usafmc.org/congress-to-campus
- https://stennis.gov/congress-to-campus - Stennis Center partnership details
- https://eca.state.gov/fulbright - Department of State exchange programs
- wikipedia:U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress
Social media
References
- ↑ "Congress to Campus Overview," FMC, https://www.usafmc.org/congress-to-campus, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Congress to Campus Partners," Stennis Center, https://stennis.gov/congress-to-campus/, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "FMC History," FMC, https://www.usafmc.org/about-fmc, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Congress to Campus Funding," FMC, https://www.usafmc.org/congress-to-campus, accessed February 19, 2025.
- ↑ "Congress to Campus Implementation," Stennis Center, https://stennis.gov/congress-to-campus/, accessed February 19, 2025.