Kristin Ksiazek Named SUNY Civic Discourse Fellow

The Cornell researcher has been selected for the 2026-27 SUNY Civil Discourse and Civic Education and Engagement program.

Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in People

Empty historic collegiate lecture hall with rows of wooden benches and sunlight through windows, evoking academic research environments. — Cornell civic researcher Kristin Ksiazek has been named a 2026-27 fellow for the SUNY Civil Discourse and Civic Education and Engagement program. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Kristin Ksiazek, a civic researcher at Cornell University, has been named one of 12 fellows for the upcoming 2026-27 SUNY Civil Discourse and Civic Education and Engagement Fellows Program. She was chosen from a competitive pool of nearly 200 applicants to help implement new civic core competencies.

Why it matters

The fellowship supports the SUNY General Education Framework by fostering civic engagement and discourse across the university system. Fellows are tasked with developing individual projects and offering consultations to campuses to strengthen civic education.

The program selected 12 fellows from a group of nearly 200 applicants in its third year of operation. This selection process involved multiple rounds of review to identify researchers and staff for the 2026-27 term.

The players

Kristin Ksiazek

She is a civic researcher and High Road Program Coordinator at the Cornell University ILR Buffalo Co-Lab.

SUNY

The State University of New York is a public university system that operates the fellowship program.

Cornell University

This private Ivy League research university serves as the home institution for Kristin Ksiazek.

The details

Kristin Ksiazek, who earned her M.P.A. in 2013, currently serves as a civic researcher and High Road Program Coordinator at the Cornell University ILR Buffalo Co-Lab. She will join other fellows in assisting SUNY faculty and staff with the implementation of the Civic Discourse core competency starting in the fall of 2026.

Kristin Ksiazek earned her M.P.A. in 2013.
The fellowship term runs during the 2026-27 academic year.
Implementation of the civic competency begins in Fall 2026.

Market Landscape

This fellowship reflects a growing institutional trend toward prioritizing civic education and discourse within large public university systems. It positions the SUNY system as a leader in formalizing how students engage with civic responsibilities as part of their core academic curriculum.

Students and staff across the SUNY system can expect to see new civic discourse programming and resources implemented beginning in the fall of 2026. This initiative aims to provide campuses with direct access to expert consultations regarding core civic competencies.

The takeaway

The program highlights the importance of integrating civic engagement into higher education frameworks through expert-led research. These initiatives provide a blueprint for how universities can bridge the gap between academic theory and active civic participation.