Carleton Convo with Abby Kiesa | November 1, 2024

Carleton Convos

Abby Kiesa, deputy director of CIRCLE, delivered the Carleton convocation address on Friday, November 1 from 10:50 to 11:50 a.m. in Skinner Chapel. Her talk was titled, “Including youth in ‘we the people’: Youth voice in U.S. democracy.”

CIRCLE (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) is part of Tufts University’s Tisch College of Civic Life. The Center conducts research and collaborates on systems change initiatives to build what’s needed for more young people and young adults in the United States to have a voice in community decision-making and democracy.

Kiesa joined CIRCLE in 2005 after working with students across the country for several years to build more support for youth and student civic engagement. As deputy director of CIRCLE — and throughout her over 15 years of work on this issue — Kiesa has specialized in how research and data insights can influence policy and practice for stronger democracy and thriving communities. Well-versed in the wide range of youth civic and political engagement efforts and practice, Kiesa brings a broad view of the institutions and interventions that can make up ecosystems for civic development among all youth. She is most interested in how to effect change in community, institutional, and political systems to reduce inequality.

Kiesa has been cited by news outlets such as The New York Times, CSPAN, NPR, and PolitiFact. Her publications include, “Getting Young People to Vote: Seven Tips for the Classroom” and “A Civic Imperative for Media Literacy.” She has a BA in sociology from Villanova University and an MA in American studies from the University of Maryland.

Learn more about Carleton Convos at go.carleton.edu/convocations