Ball State University has been awarded a $300,000 grant from Lumina Foundation to support the statewide expansion of Third Way Civics, an undergraduate civic learning initiative that helps students connect their personal and professional goals to the broader public good.
Over the next two years, the Third Way Civics: Indiana Advances (3WCIA) initiative aims to support at least a dozen Indiana colleges and universities in implementing this innovative curriculum, which combines historical inquiry, peer discussion, and interdisciplinary learning to promote civic understanding and engagement.
“This initiative reflects our University’s deep commitment to empowering students through purposeful, high-impact learning experiences,” said Dr. Anand R. Marri, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Ball State. “It also advances the goals outlined in our strategic plan—particularly our focus on undergraduate excellence, community engagement, and scholarship that enhances lives. We are grateful to Lumina Foundation for supporting our vision to help students lead with intention, across communities and careers.”
Originally piloted at Ball State in 2022, Third Way Civics was developed by Dr. Trygve Throntveit, who now serves as research professor and associate director of Ball State’s Center for Economic and Civic Learning (CECL). A nationally recognized historian and civic scholar, Dr. Throntveit previously held leadership roles at Harvard University, Dartmouth College, and the Minnesota Humanities Center.
Provost Marri will lead this initiative at Ball State along with Dr. Throntveit.
“Ball State has been central to the growth and success of Third Way Civics since the very beginning,” Dr. Throntveit said. “This new phase builds on what we’ve learned from hundreds of students across multiple states—and it positions Indiana to lead in showing how civic learning can bridge divides and equip undergraduates to work together for the common good.”
CECL, which operates under the umbrella of the Teachers College’s Office of the Dean, will coordinate the 3WCIA project. The center promotes economic and civic literacy through faculty development, interdisciplinary research, and program leadership at the local, state, and national levels. It is also home to a growing portfolio of initiatives that foster democratic capacity, community collaboration, and civic scholarship.
Over the 2023–25 academic years, more than 500 students in Indiana, Minnesota, Florida, and Montana participated in Third Way Civics courses. Evaluations show measurable gains in students’ confidence in civic participation, ability to collaborate across perspectives, and belief in the value of democratic institutions—results that reinforce the program’s promise as a scalable solution to declining civic trust.
Supported by Lumina Foundation, the 3WCIA initiative will include statewide faculty workshops, curriculum coaching, and collaborative research into effective civic pedagogy.