The D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership is partnering with IM Education to offer programming to address the need for more civics education and a greater focus on civic virtue in America.

Rebuilding American Civics is a series of community classes that are free and open to the public. Classes are led by Sam Scinta, founder and president of IM Education, associate lecturer in political science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and an adjunct instructor in the Servant Leadership program at Viterbo University. 

There will be two unique series offered this fall with four classes in each series. Both series are free of charge, but class size is limited, so please sign up early.

To register or to get more information contact Kelli Jerve at kelli@inspiredmindsedu.org or Jill Miller at jmmiller@viterbo.edu.  

• Tuesday, Nov. 2: The role of the media in American government: The media is often referred to informally as the “fourth estate or branch” of our government; while it has no official responsibility under our Constitution, it serves an essential role in informing the public. Lately, however, media (which includes social media and traditional news media) has come under fire by politicians and the public. In this session, we will explore the role the media plays in our society and examine the current critiques of its role.

• Tuesday, Nov. 9: Open civics conversation: Is there something about American politics or current events that is of interest to you? Come with a topic to discuss, or just join the moderated conversation, for a look at current events and hot topics.

• Tuesday, Nov. 16: Interest groups and getting involved in American political issues: Interest groups, which range from political organizations to unions to nonprofits, are essential to our system of government, and are often a principal way that citizens get involved in political issues. And yet, their importance is not apparent to many Americans. In this session, we will explore the nature and role of interest groups in society, along with the tools they use to influence politics.

• Tuesday, Nov. 23: Open civics conversation: Is there something about American politics or current events that is of interest to you? Come with a topic to discuss, or just join the moderated conversation, for a look at current events and hot topics.