Penn State delegation attends inaugural Big Ten Democracy Summit

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Penn State had the largest delegation at the inaugural Big Ten Democracy Summit, which took place Feb. 10-12 at the University of Maryland’s College Park campus.

A collaboration led by Big Ten schools of public policy, public affairs, and public administration, including the Penn State School of Public Policy, the summit brought together academic leaders and students to share strategies for advancing civic engagement and to discuss the role of higher education in fostering a thriving democracy.

Penn State’s representatives at the event included students from Penn State's School of Public Policy’s Master of Public Policy and Next Gen Leadership Academy programs, Penn State’s Civic Engagement Alliance, the McCourtney Institute for Democracy and Penn State Student Affairs.

Master of public policy student Madelyn Hindman represented Penn State on a panel exploring the role of students as agents of civic change. Hindman, who completed an internship with PSU Votes during the 2024 presidential election and now serves as an adviser to Penn State’s Civic Engagement Alliance, shared insights about engaging students in the electoral process. 

"It was a pleasure to share a platform with my incredible Big Ten peers who are doing important and impactful work on their campuses. I’m grateful for the opportunity to discuss the work of PSU Votes and the Civic Engagement Alliance. I’m especially thankful for my peers and colleagues who have been my biggest cheerleaders," Hindman said, acknowledging the support of her PSU Votes mentors.

Speakers at the summit included former U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Barbara McQuade, and Maryland’s Secretary of Service and Civic Innovation Paul Monteiro.

In his remarks, Kilmer reminded attendees that acting on things that frustrate them can lead to success in politics and in life.

“When I was in Congress, a saying we had among my team was, ‘Don’t agonize, organize,’” Kilmer said. “When there’s something you don’t like happening in politics, don’t focus on how much it makes you angry or upset; focus on what you’re going to do about it.”

The summit also included a policy simulation based on H.R. 7698 (Building Civic Bridges Act), introduced by Kilmer in 2024. As part of the simulation, students took on the role of various legislators, giving them hands-on experience with the federal legislative process. “The policy simulation gave me a direct understanding of the deliberations that take place within Congress and the trade-offs that are often necessary to pass policy," said Emmanuel Kraft, an IUG (Integrated Undergraduate Graduate program) student in the Department of Political Science and the School of Public Policy. “As 'Senator Rand Paul' from Kentucky, the ranking member of the Republican party during the simulation, I was able to adopt a new perspective and lead (mostly) bipartisan efforts to find common ground and advance the bill through the legislative process.”

Assistant Clinical Professor of Public Policy and Director of Undergraduate Studies Jeremy Hoffman, who served on the summit's planning committee, remarked on the summit's success.

 “The inaugural Big Ten Democracy Summit was an incredible success, providing a vital opportunity for collaboration and innovation around democratic engagement. I am especially proud of our Penn State students, who represented the University with professionalism, insight, and a genuine commitment to advancing civic engagement at Penn State. Our delegation left the summit feeling energized and ready to continue this important work.”

The Big Ten Democracy Summit was co-hosted by the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy and the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy.