Pepperdine School of Public Policy wins major grant from US Department of Education for Summer Civics Program

MALIBU, Calif. – The School of Public Policy has been awarded a $1.4MM over three-year grant from the US Department of Education through the American History and Civics-National Activities Grants program. These funds will support the creation of an annual summer seminar for undergraduate students on the Malibu campus based on the policy school's “Enduring Legacy of the American Founding” core course, and a second annual seminar for undergraduate faculty at Pepperdine’s campus in Washington, DC.

“As one of the only graduate policy schools awarded a grant through this program, I’m delighted to see our unique approach to policy education cited in our successful application,” said Pete Peterson, Braun Family Dean’s Chair and Dean of the School of Public Policy. “Over the next few years, we look forward to welcoming hundreds of undergraduates to our Malibu campus and dozens of scholars to our DC campus to learn more about our use of applied history in the preparation of public policy leaders.”

SPP was one of over 80 academic institutions and nonprofit organizations awarded grants in this cycle. With a focus on civics programming leading up to America’s 250th anniversary, other notable awardees included the new civics institutes at the University of Texas-Austin, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Other California universities also securing grants through this program include the University of California-Irvine and the University of California-Davis.

Leading this effort on the SPP faculty will be the School’s Gaylord Professor of Public Policy, Dr. Abbylin Sellers.

“For over 25 years, the School of Public Policy has sought to provide training to budding policy makers through a deep understanding of the evolution and transmission of the American tradition of ordered liberty, constitutional rule, and the ongoing conversation that remains at the center of this tradition in the modern age,” said Sellers. “We are grateful to have the opportunity to now engage with top undergraduate students from around the country to consider the implications and character of those voices who have contributed to our tradition through the study of primary documents.”

Eligible undergraduate students will have the opportunity to apply for the competitive week-long seminar from November 3, 2025, until March 2026. Between 75-100 undergraduate students will be selected for the seminar program planned for early June.

For more information on the 2026 Roots of American Order Summer Certificate Seminar, visit the program webpage.

About Pepperdine University School of Public Policy
Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy (SPP) is built on a distinctive philosophy of nurturing public leaders to use tools of analysis and policy design to effect real change. Grounded in understanding policy's moral and distinctly American elements, SPP prepares graduates for careers as leaders by offering a master’s degree in public policy and three joint-degree programs. The school’s Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership promotes citizen participation in governance through major conferences, trainings, seminars, and published research. Follow SPP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

 

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