The Civic Thought and Public Leadership Fellows (CTPLF) Program is an initiative among participating System institutions and UT System Administration designed to support institutions in preparing undergraduates for informed, ethical, and engaged leadership in public life. By combining rigorous coursework, experiential learning, and cross campus collaboration, the CTPLF program seeks to cultivate graduates prepared not only for professional success, but also for thoughtful participation and leadership in civic life.
Anticipated to launch in Spring 2027, CTPLF builds on existing successful civic education efforts across the UT System by supporting the further development of interdisciplinary academic experience grounded in the texts, ideas, and democratic traditions that have shaped American society. Through sustained engagement with political, moral, and philosophical inquiry, the program aims to strengthen civic literacy, critical thinking, and ethical judgment among cohorts of participating students.
Participating Institutions
Initial participating institutions include UT Arlington, UT Austin, UT Dallas, UT El Paso, UT Rio Grande Valley, UT San Antonio, and UT Tyler. Each institution will develop a curriculum aligned with the shared CTPLF framework while reflecting local strengths and academic priorities. Fellows will complete a structured course sequence in civic thought and classical texts, participate in faculty mentorship and cohort based learning, and engage in a System wide speaker series featuring nationally recognized scholars and leaders.
A defining feature of CTPLF is its emphasis on application and impact. All Fellows will complete a capstone project that integrates their academic study with real world civic or leadership challenges, demonstrating how ideas translate into action in service of the common good. UT System Administration will host an annual symposium in which students present their capstone projects. These shared experiences connect students across campuses while fostering respectful dialogue and intellectual exchange.
Please contact Dr. Serenity Rose King (sking@utsystem.edu), Laura Hartmann (lhartmann@utsystem.edu), or Patrick Muenks (pmuenks@utsystem.edu) if you have questions.
