On Sept. 6, a handful of motivated and curious Nebraskans gathered at the Stuhr Museum in Grand Island to launch the third cohort of Civic Nebraska’s Idea of America Fellowship. The new Fellows met at Cronin Hall to begin a months-long journey of reflection, conversation, and community-building.
The Fellowship, curated by Civic Nebraska, invites Nebraskans from different walks of life to explore big questions about leadership, democracy, and what it means to live together in a pluralistic society. Over the course of three retreats and virtual discussions, fellows work alongside one another to grapple with America’s founding ideals and contradictions – and to consider how those tensions still shape civic life today. Learn more about the Fellowship.
This year’s Fellows represent communities large and small, from Omaha to York, Fullerton, Schuyler, and Kearney, to Oxford, population 779. The diversity of their hometowns ensures that the group’s conversations are grounded both in metropolitan and rural perspectives. Facilitators Phillip Black and Allen Chlopek guided the first session, where fellows received books and other resources that will frame their work throughout the fall.
The Cohort includes April White, Gina Alba Cervantes, Deb Robertson, Katherine Sharp, Keithen Hamilton, Lubna Albadawi, and Rowan Jolkowski.
The kickoff allowed participants to begin building trust with one another, an essential first step before diving into deeper discussions of identity, belonging, and responsibility. For Civic Nebraska, the goal is to create spaces where participants can stretch their civic imaginations and return home with fresh insight to strengthen their communities.
The cohort will gather again Oct. 10-11 in Kearney for a retreat centered on leadership and the evolution of democracy in the United States. Fellows will hear from local leaders, study regional history, and reflect on how the American democratic experiment continues to unfold in their own communities.
A virtual session will follow, giving the group time to synthesize their learning and apply it in real time. The fellowship will conclude with a three-day retreat in Hastings from Nov. 14-16, where Fellows will bring together the themes they’ve encountered over the fall and look ahead to how they will put their experience into practice.
The Idea of America Fellowship builds civic health by equipping Nebraskans to engage across differences with curiosity, humility, and courage. At a time when divisions can feel overwhelming, the fellowship reminds us that democracy is not self-sustaining – it requires ongoing, intentional cultivation by everyday people.
We’re eager to see the third Cohort carry forward the work of previous Fellows, who have returned to their communities with renewed clarity and purpose. This Fellowship is just one way that Civic Nebraska helps plant the seeds of stronger, more connected communities across the state.
– Allen Chlopek, Rural Civic Health Programs Manager
