Top 5 times civics and patriotism surged in higher ed in 2025

As America approaches its 250th birthday in July 2026, a wave of patriotic renewal is sweeping across campuses. After years of leftist domination in higher education, civics education and patriotic engagement are making a national comeback. From federal grants supporting founding principles to a Trump-fueled military recruitment boom, here are the top five times patriotism made its way back to campus in 2025.

5.  Education Department partners with TPUSA, other groups to launch American civics education coalition

The U.S. Department of Education announced a new partnership with Turning Point USA and over 40 civic organizations to form the America 250 Civics Education Coalition. Unveiled on Constitution Day, the initiative will host nationwide events in the lead-up to the country’s 250th anniversary in July 2026. “A country cannot survive if its values are forgotten by its people,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said at the launch. The effort, backed by the America First Policy Institute, aims to renew students’ understanding of America’s founding principles and civic institutions.

4.  UMich commits $50M to ‘dialogue’ center amid violent rhetoric from faculty celebrating Kirk killing

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor will spend $50 million to establish an Institute for Civil Discourse after faculty members celebrated the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. University President Domenico Grasso announced the investment as a commitment to the First Amendment and ideological diversity, stating, “We risk abandoning [free speech] for our nation” if it is not upheld on campus. 

3.  Trump speaks at West Point commencement amid Army recruitment boom

President Donald Trump delivered the May 24 commencement address at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point as the Army experienced its highest recruitment levels in 15 years. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth credits the president for inspiring patriotic enlistment among Generation Z, dubbing it the “Trump Bump.” This resurgence follows a White House crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in military institutions, signaling a reorientation toward merit and mission over identity politics. “They have spirit, they love our country again,” President Trump said. 

2.  FL universities awarded $15M to teach America’s founding principles, boost civics education

Florida public universities were awarded over $15 million in federal grants to support education initiatives focused on the nation’s founding documents. Florida State University’s programs include “Fireworks250” and “Founding Voices,” aimed at fifth grade and middle school civics engagement. The University of Florida’s Hamilton Center will use its grant to launch a “Documents of Democracy” curriculum series. These projects will create instructional toolkits, video lessons, and reenactments of Founding-era debates. The resources are designed to bring civic literacy to classrooms.

1.  Ed Dept invests $153M in American history and civics seminars to promote patriotic education

The U.S. Department of Education awarded $153 million in grants to promote American history and civics education grounded in founding values. Funded through the American History and Civics Seminars Program, the initiative will support seminars, curriculum development, and classroom-ready materials that emphasize civic engagement and civil discourse. The investment underscores the administration’s continued efforts to reverse years of leftist indoctrination and restore an understanding of America’s constitutional heritage. “To know this great country is to love and cherish it,” said Under Secretary Nicholas Kent.

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