Colorado State University’s Democracy Summit will return March 9-11 at the Lory Student Center, offering three days of panels, research sessions, interactive programming and keynote speakers centered on civic engagement and democratic institutions.

Organized by the College of Liberal Arts, the summit began in 2024 as part of CSU’s thematic Year of Democracy. This year’s theme, Democracy at the Crossroads: 250 Years as a Nation, 150 Years of the Centennial State, aligns with national and state anniversary initiatives and looks to frame discussions around historical reflection and contemporary political challenges.

All events are open to the public and free to attend. The schedule is as follows:

March 9

• Ramplify: Civic Engagement Fair
• Principles and Priorities: Federal Budget Exercise
• Democracy: Historical Perspectives from Colorado
• Keynote: What Did 2025 Teach Us About American Democracy?
  

March 10

• Research Presentation Sessions
• The State of Democracy in the Centennial State: Insights into Colorado’s Political Landscape
• Courts in the Community
  

March 11

• Research Presentation Sessions
• Careers with Impact: An Alumni Roundtable
• Closing keynote: Messaging a Movement — Lessons from the Mamdani Campaign on Gen Z Politics and Disenfranchised Voters

Student fellows from the Strayer Center for Public Service Leadership have played a role in shaping portions of the programming. For some, the summit has become a multiyear commitment that evolves alongside national and state political developments.

“I mean, it’s been great,” CLA Democracy Summit Fellow Ethan McGuinness said. “I joined the fellow program with the Straayer Center last year, and that was … an incredible opportunity to be able to plan and think through different events that were meeting the political moment that students were interested in.”

McGuinness said one of their priorities is ensuring the event remains responsive to current issues rather than repeating identical programming each year. Topics shift based on student concerns, faculty research and broader political developments.

The summit concludes March 11 with a keynote conversation featuring Andrew Bard Epstein, a communications consultant and political adviser to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Fellows said his campaign experience offers a perspective distinct from academic research presentations.

“I am really excited for the talk from Andrew Epstein,” McGuinness said. “So it’ll be really interesting to, you know, have him come to campus to talk about his experience running a really Gen Z-focused campaign.”

But this year’s schedule also includes sessions related to immigration policy, campaign communications, Colorado politics and democratic institutions at the state level.

“With every new summit, new issues become even more relevant to talk about,” McGuinness said. “This year it’s immigration and (Immigration and Customs Enforcement); that wasn’t as relevant last year.”

A returning component of the summit is Ramplify, the Civic Engagement Fair, scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon March 9. The event aims to bring together local and national organizations, political groups and campus institutions to connect students with volunteer, advocacy and service opportunities.

While attendance often includes political science students, CLA Democracy Summit fellow Harper Dorris said the event is designed to reach students across majors. Outreach efforts this year have included targeting large general education courses to broaden participation.

Dorris described Ramplify as an accessible entry point for students who may not already be engaged in political or civic spaces. The format allows attendees to speak directly with representatives from various organizations and learn how to participate locally.

Beyond the fair, the summit includes hands-on programming such as the Concord Coalition’s Principles and Priorities: Federal Budget Exercise, which asks participants to make policy tradeoffs related to taxes and federal spending.

“It’s meant for anyone,” Dorris said. “Like, it’s not specifically for (political science majors).”

Other events on March 9 include a History Colorado panel examining democracy from a state perspective and a keynote conversation with Jake Grumbach, an associate professor at UC Berkeley who studies the political economy of the United States and state-level policymaking.

March 10 features multiple research presentation sessions focused on democratic governance, culture and community engagement. A midday keynote panel, The State of Democracy in the Centennial State, will also announce semifinalists for the Colorado Democracy Prize.

“I’ve learned about a lot of new organizations through it,” Dorris said. “I’ve become involved in a lot more organizations through it, and just making those connections with the people in the community is really awesome to me.”

Later that afternoon, Courts in the Community will bring the Colorado Court of Appeals to campus for two real oral arguments from active cases. The event includes question-and-answer sessions with attorneys and judges and will require security screening upon entry.

March 11 continues with research sessions and panels addressing topics like public scholarship, local journalism models and democracies’ role in culture. An alumni roundtable titled “Careers with Impact” will focus on public service and local government pathways.

“I think that we all tend to get sucked into, you know, what I would call just our own echo chamber,” McGuinness said. “I mean, we all open up Instagram or Facebook or whatever, or TikTok on our phones, and the content that is curated there is specifically meant to keep us engaged.”

But the summit is structured so students can attend individual sessions between classes rather than commit to all three days of the event.

Programming spans mornings through late afternoons, allowing flexibility for attendees with varying schedules.

“I’m excited for it to happen,” Dorris said. “I’m just excited for, like, the events we’ve been working on and all of that to happen so I can see them come to fruition.”

Reach Michael Hovey at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.