Civic Education Project: service learning field studies for oustanding middle and high school students
CTD's Civic Education Project
About Us

The Civic Education Project (CEP) is an award-winning leadership and civic engagement program for outstanding middle and high school students, based at Northwestern University's Center For Talent Development.

CEP combines hands-on education and community service to promote civic responsibility among young people. Through innovative school-year programs and summer courses, CEP offers promising young people opportunities to learn and serve in communities across the country, developing the knowledge, experience and leadership skills they need to make a positive impact on society.

Why do we do what we do?
We are passionate about fostering civic responsibility and engaging young people in service-learning because our communities, while great in countless ways, also face significant challenges. For example:

We are passionate about fostering civic responsibility and engaging young people in service-learning because our cities, while great in countless ways, also have issues
  • Over 46 million Americans are living in poverty. Among those who have experienced homelessness, 40% are families with children.
  • Children living in poverty are twice as likely to be in poor health and only half as likely to receive needed medical care.
  • Only 3 out of every 10 eighth graders in public schools are reading at grade level. 7,200 students drop out of school each day.
  • African Americans and Latinos make up just 28% of the total U.S. population, but over 60% of the prison and jail population.

By empowering the nation’s brightest young people to understand issues like these and create positive change, we believe we’re preparing our participants to be better citizens and leaders.

How long have we been doing it?
Rob Donahue, a Northwestern University alumnus, founded the Civic Education Project (CEP) in 1997. Over the past 15 years, CEP has grown from a pilot program with seven Chicago-area students to an award-winning organization that has served more than 3,800 students from throughout the country. Read the whole story.

How well do we do it?
While we think we’re pretty good at what we do, don’t just take it from us. Read our press and awards, and note the quotes from our students throughout this web site.

Who are we, anyway?
A model service-learning program
Not just a typical community service program, CEP differentiates itself by providing the following:
  • Academic rigor and integrity. CEP programs, housed within Northwestern University's Center for Talent Development and affiliated with Johns Hopkins University's Center for Talented Youth, are highly competitive and facilitated by experienced and well-trained program staff.
  • Eye-opening service experiences. Whether at a health clinic, soup kitchen or school, CEP arranges all service experiences in partnership with reputable local community organizations, and ensures meaningful engagement with clients and community members.
  • Exposure to amazing people. Program participants converse with everyone from peers to policymakers, the homeless and the hungry, and everyone benefits from the interactions.
  • Fun. CEP participants enjoy serving, learning, reflecting, relaxing and exploring exciting cities around the country!
In many ways, CEP is defined by its students as much as its staff. Together, we are a diverse group of individuals eager to learn and then lead in making a difference in the lives of others and creating a positive impact on the world.