Ball State’s Center for Economic and Civic Learning (CECL), in collaboration with the Community-Engaged Alliance and with generous support from the Lumina Foundation and the Lilly Endowment, recently hosted a two-day workshop on June 2–3 introducing faculty and administrators across Indiana to the Third Way Civics (3WC) model of civically catalytic teaching.

Held at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center, the 3WC Workshop brought together over 30 participants from institutions including IU South Bend, Ivy Tech Muncie and Columbus, Purdue Fort Wayne, Rose-Hulman, Saint Mary’s, Earlham College, Anderson University, and Ball State. Attendees represented diverse roles in higher education—from instructors in the humanities, social sciences, education, and STEM disciplines to academic leaders shaping curriculum policy—united by a shared commitment to revitalizing civic learning.

The workshop was led by Dr. Trygve Throntveit (Minnesota Humanities Center) with support from BSU Provost Dr. Anand Marri (Ball State), and Dr. Roof (Director of CECL).

Participants engaged in immersive sessions using foundational texts and structured dialogue to examine American civic identity, from examples that included the founding era and the Civil War. The interactive format challenged participants to consider how their own teaching could foster democratic dialogue and civic responsibility among students in their disciplines and across the entire curriculum.

Through guided discussions, small group collaboration, and reflective planning sessions, attendees began designing their own 3WC-inspired courses. Discussions also addressed how the 3WC model could be embedded in general education curricula, integrated into institutional civic learning goals, and adapted across diverse classroom settings.

“The conversations we had here are just the beginning,” said Dr. Throntveit, “The goal is not only to inform but to catalyze: to foster a shift in how civic education is conceived and practiced across our campuses.”

A follow-up network is being formed to support faculty as they implement 3WC in their home institutions. The initiative is part of a broader movement to reimagine civic education in higher education by centering shared inquiry, historical complexity, and inclusive dialogue.

For more information about the Third Way Civics initiative and to connect with the post-workshop faculty network, please contact David J. Roof at djroof@bsu.edu or visit www.bsu.edu/cecl.