How Democracies Thrive

How Democracies Thrive

As concerns grow for the fragility of democracy around the globe, the Society’s National Arts & Sciences Initiative team put together wide-ranging conversations engaging leading Phi Beta Kappa members with current students, recent graduates, chapter faculty, and alumni association volunteers to explore how arts and sciences education can help democracies thrive. 

How did art and music fuel the curiosity and creativity of a scientific career examining autoimmune diseases? How do you build authentic community connections working in a large federal agency? What does an expert in crisis prevention and conflict management wish every future public servant knew before embarking on a public sector career? With generous support from the Gray Foundation, Phi Beta Kappa’s Call to Serve networking reception addressed these questions and many more as part of the 2024 Key into Public Service Conference. 

Moderated by Bloomberg News National Politics Reporter Stephanie Lai (ΦΒΚ, Columbia University), the event featured advice for arts and sciences graduates from Scientific Director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) at the National Institutes of Health Dr. John O’Shea (ΦΒΚ, St. Lawrence University); Trial Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division Employment Litigation Section Sharion Scott (ΦΒΚ, Rice University); and Vice President of the Middle East and North Africa Center at the United States Institute of Peace Mona Yacoubian (ΦΒΚ, Duke University). 

“I am so excited to see this room filled with people of your generation —you are the hope for us going forward,” Yacoubain said. “As someone who has embarked on a career in public service, I can’t recommend it more highly to feel that you are trying to make a difference and have relevance in a world where there is no shortage of problems and challenges.” 

In August, the Society explored more fully the role of the arts and sciences in helping democracy thrive at the opening panel of the 47th Triennial with the needs of chapter faculty and association volunteers in mind. How can campuses build democratic skills of working across differences? How can associations help to grow civic connections, intergenerational mentoring, and community leadership opportunities? What does multidisciplinary research show about democratic resilience?

Guided by POLITICO Magazine Editor Elizabeth Ralph (ΦΒΚ, Yale University), the event featured University of Maryland Baltimore County President Valerie Sheares Ashby (ΦΒΚ, UMBC), Baltimore Community Foundation President Shanaysha Sauls (ΦΒΚ, University of Maryland, College Park), Senior Advisor to the Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition Nancy Shapiro (ΦΒΚ, Brandeis), and SNF Agora Institute Professor and Chair of the Sociology Department at Johns Hopkins University Andrew Perrin (ΦΒΚ, Swarthmore).

Watch both conversations on the Society’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/phibetakappa. As we look ahead to this fall and beyond, the Society will highlight more opportunities to strengthen democracy through liberal arts and sciences education. If this topic is of interest, we encourage you to explore our State of the Arts & Sciences e-alerts, programming, social media, and toolkit resources at pbk.org/programs/arts-sciences