Our History

The first Knowledge for Freedom Program, Freedom & Citizenship, began in 2009 as a partnership between Columbia’s Center for American Studies, the Center for the Core Curriculum and the Roger Lehecka Double Discovery Center (DDC). Funded initially by a grant from the Teagle Foundation, the program invited 15 students from DDC’s Upward Bound Summer Academy to live on campus and participate in an intensive seminar modeled on Columbia’s Contemporary Civilization course. During the following academic year, students collaborated on research projects on topics in contemporary public life and received guidance and mentorship applying to college. The program expanded to 30 students in 2014, and then to 45 students in 2016.

The success of F&C has inspired other institutions to build their own programs based on our model, beginning with Yale University’s Citizens, Thinkers, Writers program, founded in 2016. Knowledge for Freedom was launched in 2020 with support from the Teagle Foundation to bring together the members of this growing network. Knowledge for Freedom unites our programs in a collaborative community of practice, supporting them as they adapt our model to reflect the strengths and values of their own institutions, and providing platforms and resources to sustain and elevate their work. As of 2026 there are more than 36 colleges and universities in our network, with more on the way. The opening of the Chang Chavkin Center for Liberal Education and Civic Life at Bard College presented a new opportunity to continue to expand and strengthen the network, and it is now the home of Knowledge for Freedom.