The Indiana Bar Foundation hosted its third annual Indiana Civics Summit on April 17, 2025, convening educators, policymakers, and civic leaders from across the state for a day of learning, dialogue, and inspiration. This year’s summit put student voices front and center, and Ball State students rose to the occasion, demonstrating the power of campus based civic engagement.
Among the featured sessions was a Ball State student panel representing Ball State’s Democracy Fellows and student government leaders.
Kianne Rose discussed a recent proposal before the Student Government Association (SGA) to create a campus holiday on U.S. general election days, which sparked a conversation about student participation in democracy. She explained the importance of institutional support: “We hear from students who want to be more involved, but this means addressing barriers and rethinking how civic responsibility fits into academic life,” she said. Rose, a second-year Legal Studies student and SGA Organizational Senator who is also involved with the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), emphasized that engagement must include all voices. Drawing from her experience as Parliamentarian for NPHC, she encouraged attendees to honor legacy and leadership through civic participation, especially within governance structures that shape student life.
Abigail Denault, a Journalism major and active member of the Cardinals Vote! program, spoke about the importance of local political politics and engagement. “It’s easy to get swept up in national headlines,” she noted, “but many of the decisions that impact our daily lives—on education, housing, and so forth, happen at the local level.” As a journalism major and former election judge, Denault underscored the role of media and storytelling in building a more informed and active electorate.
Afton Vanek, an Art History major with minors in Spanish and Global Studies, drew from her international experiences to reflect on the importance of civic humility. Having met recently with representatives in Washington, D.C., she stressed the value of listening across perspectives. “Democracy isn’t about everyone agreeing—it’s about how we listen and learn from one another,” Vanek said. Her work with local organizations such as Prevent Child Abuse Delaware County connected her global outlook to her community impact.
The student panel was part of a broader showcase of civic programs during the Summit, which included presentations from Plainfield High School’s We the People team, the Indiana Ethics Bowl, and the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site’s Future Presidents of America initiative. Ball State’s Democracy Fellows program was highlighted as a model for student leadership and civic learning in higher education.
Keynote speaker Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO of the National Constitution Center, delivered a an address on his latest book, The Pursuit of Happiness: How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America. Rosen explored how civic virtue and moral reasoning shaped America’s founding ideals and remain central to democratic life today.
As Indiana prepares for America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, the Summit served as both a reflection and a call to action. Ball State’s student representatives demonstrated that the future of democracy is in good hands, not just because of what they’re learning in the classroom, but because of how they’re choosing to engage in our democracy.
See photos from the event and read more here.