History & Impact

Where it all started

A large conference room, full of round tables with people sitting around them, as well as a stage with a podium and large American flag.

Citizen University started out as a two-day national conference in Seattle, WA. Our co-founders, Eric Liu and Jená Cane, were part of a team organizing an annual gathering on the art of mentoring. A few years in, they landed upon the central theme of citizenship: how we create and sustain community and how we pass on our values and knowledge to others in the community.
In 2012, the conference took the name “Citizen University.” This convening brought together a wide range of national civic innovators and everyday citizens for a few days of deep learning, spirited conversation, and strengthening civic commitments. As the years went on, interest in this work began to grow. Our definition of citizenship (power + character) was one that resonated with many. We thought, how else might we share these ideas with our community? And that’s how we started running programs year-round.

Our impact

Since our founding in 2012, we have worked with thousands of Americans (and people across the globe) — who themselves have spread civic practices with many thousands more in their home communities.

  • Our earliest programs, like Joy of Voting and Sworn Again America, gave a taste of our secret sauce: creating civic rituals that reanimate people’s sense of commitment to our democracy and each other.
  • Offerings like our Civic Saturday and Power + Character equipped people to facilitate our social technologies in places big and small around the country — many of whom are continuing to grow and adapt these gatherings.
  • Our National Civic Collaboratory continues to be one of the most prolific civic leadership networks in the country, sparking collaborations and partnerships.

A group standing together and smiling.Our work has connected us to collaborators and citizen partners from coast to coast. Every year, hundreds of new people and organizations participate in our programs and make use of our tools. We’ve held over 50 National Civic Collaboratory meetings that have spurred hundreds of collaborations between civic innovators. Our CU Community is an ever-expanding network of people and organizations who are committed to circulating practices of citizenship in the places they call home.