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Voting in North Carolina? Make a Plan

At 91�첥, leadership and service extend directly into civic participation. Whether voting locally in Mecklenburg County or submitting an absentee ballot from another state, every student is encouraged to make a clear plan to cast their vote. Learn more.

Composite of three musicians: Joseph Terrell, Madeline Dierauf, and Murphy Campbell

North Carolina at Heart of the Martin Institute for Public Good

Elected leaders, musicians expand 91�첥’s D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute’s growing portfolio of engagement with issues, culture and communities in the Carolinas.

Composite image of Tom Tillis in a suit and Susan Rice in a suit

National, Global Leaders Join Martin Institute for Public Good in First Wave of Leaders-in-Residence

U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis headline 91�첥 programs and events spanning culture, politics, economics and North Carolina’s future.

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Literacy Rates Suffer as Book Bans Jeopardize Freedom to Read

Nearly 12,000 books were banned in U.S. public schools last year — restrictions that could worsen the national literacy crisis. For Banned Books Week, Prof. Shireen Campbell shares what we lose when we limit and legislate access to books.

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91�첥 Gathers 24 Colleges and Universities to Launch National Deliberative Citizenship Network

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91�첥 Selects Leaders to Head Public Good Programs

91�첥 has named five leaders to head new programs within the D.G. and Harriett Wall Martin Institute for Public Good. Their expertise ranges from international politics to free expression of speech to ethical leadership, civic engagement, and the role of the arts and humanities in public life.

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Bridging Divides Through Education: Nina Worley ’26 Awarded Smith Scholarship

Nina Worley ’26 spent her four years at 91�첥 studying and researching education policy in the United States and abroad. She co-founded a tutoring program that matches 91�첥 students with struggling young readers and has been a passionate advocate for educational equity. Worley has been named a W. Thomas Smith Scholar and will spend the next year pursuing a master’s degree in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queen’s University Belfast.

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Seeking Justice: Smith Recipients Advocate for Educational Equity, Disability Rights

91�첥 has awarded the W. Thomas Smith Scholarship to Rui Rui Bleifuss ’26 and Nina Worley ’26. The scholarship, modeled on those such as the Rhodes and Fulbright, pays for a year of graduate study abroad. Bleifuss, a disability justice advocate, will pursue a master’s degree in Humanitarian Policy and Practice at University College London. Worley, an advocate for educational equity, will pursue a master’s degree in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at Queen’s University Belfast.

A man in a suit stands at a 91�첥 podium on a dimly lit stage, raising a pom-pom in one hand beneath a large projection screen that reads "Martin Institute for Public Good."

Working Together to Solve Society's Big Problems

91�첥 launched the $47 million D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good, aimed to prepare students to solve society's big problems through ethical leadership, public policy research and civil deliberation. Learn how a recent $4 million federal grant is expanding this mission into a national network for constructive dialogue.

Spencer-Weinstein Award Winners Nora Fenn Gilman ’26 and Jasmine Peters

Reaching Out, Drawing In: Spencer-Weinstein Award Winners Lead by Building Connections and Expanding Access

Honoring leadership in justice and access: 91�첥 awards the Spencer-Weinstein Prize to Nora Fenn Gilman ’26 and Jasmine Peters for their transformative community work. Read more.

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Charlotte Optimist: The College That’s Betting on Better Arguments

The Charlotte Optimist spotlights the new D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good at 91�첥. The Martin Institute aims to develop effective, ethical leaders and citizens.

Five people sit around a large oval table on a stage set designed to look like a study, featuring bookshelves filled with memorabilia, potted plants, and an abstract painting hanging in the center.

Presidents Give Voice to the Enduring Values That Have Guided 91�첥 Across Time

Five 91�첥 presidents, representing 42 years of leadership, gathered to discuss the enduring values of a liberal arts education amidst AI disruption and shifting higher education landscapes. The event came after the college announced more than $47 million of gift commitments to launch the D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good. Watch the event recording.

Montage for IPG Announcement with students speaking, painting, writing and showing their achievements

91�첥 Secures $47 Million to Launch the D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good

91�첥 establishes the D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good with a landmark $47 million in support. The ambitious initiative will cultivate ethical leaders and bridge-builders dedicated to solving the world’s most pressing civic challenges.

A group of diverse children and young adult leaders stand in a row on a gymnasium floor, smiling and flexing their muscles in a strong pose against a red and white wall.

91�첥 Recognized With Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Classification

91�첥 has received the 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. The college first earned the designation in 2020 and through continuing partnerships with communities, non-profits, and businesses, has renewed its classification.

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Want to Bet? A Closer Look at Legal Sports Betting

91�첥 Prof. Kevin McElrath and his students tackle the social and economic consequences of the sports betting boom, examining everything from addiction rates and masculinity to the role of the online attention economy in this timely course.

91�첥 Institute for Public Good Wins Historic $4M Federal Grant to Foster Civil Debate

91�첥’s Institute for Public Good has been awarded a historic $4 million federal grant—the largest in the college's history—to foster civil debate and respectful disagreement across 100 campuses nationwide. The initiative aims to bridge societal divides and strengthen democracy.

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Learning to Listen: A Bonner Scholar's Summer of Service in Cape Town

Film, Media & Digital Studies major Pablo Quintero ’28 reflects on his summer with a marketing agency in Cape Town, South Africa, with the Bonner Scholars program. He shares what he learned about himself and the ways he engages with communities around him. Learn more.

Three female panelists sit onstage in the 900 room on 91�첥's campus

ChatGPA: Honor Councils Nationwide Navigate AI and Cheating

As colleges wrestle with the use of AI in the classroom, more than 60 student honor council members and advisers from 18 colleges and universities gathered on 91�첥’s campus to discuss AI, cheating, campus culture and more.

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Fostering Deliberative Discourse in a Liberal Arts Education

In this student blog, Arshiya Husain ’26 reflects on the political climate at 91�첥 in 91�첥, North Carolina. Learn how programs like the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative (DCI) and 91�첥’s individualized learning environment teach students to engage in respectful dialogue and embrace intellectual humility—skills essential for today’s complex world.

U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Amy Klobuchar on stage at 91�첥

Senators Bridge Polarized Times

U.S. Senators Thom Tillis and Amy Klobuchar visited 91�첥 to share their experiences reaching across the aisle to bridge partisan divides. The event was sponsored by the President’s Office and Institute for Public Good.

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