Civic Initiative

As of April 1, 2026, the University of Massachusetts Civic Initiative is no longer funded, and operations have ceased. We thank our followers for their interest in our work and we wish you well.

We are working on the next newsletter issue. It'll share a training opportunity for first-gen college students as well as a way to help the Civic Initiative. It'll be out early next month. Subscribe: donahue.umass.edu/business-group…

Our final day and final official act of our November trip to #Islamabad included a visit to @usembislamabad to meet with our colleagues from the @statedept. It was a really nice visit and a great way to cap off our six days in Pakistan.

Highlight of the #Islamabad alumni conference: the Women Empowerment panel, moderated by Kelsey. Panelists talked about how their SUSI experiences and what they've done since like international education, activism, and community action. @ECAatState @PakUSAlumni

Thank you to @rozetvpk for covering our reunion of the SUSI Pakistan Comparative Public Policymaking program! The reporter is SUSI alumnus @NuamanIshfaqM. @usembislamabad @exchangeourworld @pakusalumni #Islamabad

We started our last day in Islamabad with a fascinating meeting at the National Commission for Human Development. In particular, we learned a lot about their involvement education sector with private, public and madrassa schools. #EducationReform #SocialImpact #Pakistan

We enjoyed our return to @numl_official! We visited the Governance & Public Policy department, including a fun Q&A with a large group of students. We also saw our dear friend and Civic alumnus Dr. Waqas Ali who was recently promoted to the position of NUML Registrar.

An inspiring meeting with Mr. Nadir Gul Barech, CEO, Mr. Arshad Rashid, Chief Programmes, and staff from @PPAFofficial in Islamabad. We look forward to deepening our talk about shared opportunities to work together. We both have so much to contribute to Pakistan's challenges.

Our next #Islamabad day was with our SUSI Comparative Public Policy alumni (2020-2024). We led sessions on community storytelling, storytelling for marginalized communities and developing social initiatives. We ended with a women alumni panel about their post-SUSI experiences.

Day 2 in Pakistan! We were in full swing on our first full day here. Most of the team met with the Pakistan Higher Education Commission and its leader, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed. This was a follow-on after meeting virtually last year. @hecpkofficial @profpasha

Our first full day in #Islamabad was mostly business and some fun! After a morning meeting with embassy staff, we reunited with our old partners, the Institute for Rural Management, at their HQ. We ended the day at dinner with local friends and great food in F-7!

Learn by doing! Our Civic Initiative combines classroom learning with real-world projects. Apply now to join us at UMass Amherst. 🎓💪 #UMassAmherst #ExperientialLearning #CivicEngagement Apply here: exchanges.state.gov/non-us

Want to learn from experts and explore the US firsthand? Our American Political Development program brings international political science scholars to UMass Amherst for a unique academic experience. #UShistory #politics #culture exchanges.state.gov/non-us

Want to become an entrepreneurial leader? Join our SUSI Global Student Leaders on Economic Empowerment program and gain insights into US entrepreneurial approaches. #entrepreneurship #leadership #US exchanges.state.gov/non-us

Yes, we run all the fun and challenging exchange programs you’ve heard about! But, to apply, you must go through the US Department of State. Go here, choose your home country, and see what programs they are offering. Maybe you’ll choose one of ours! exchanges.state.gov/non-us

Umra, a 2024 SUSI Pakistan Public Policymaking alum, presented her experiences with us this summer at the Faisalabad "Lincoln Corner". Lincoln Corners are multi-media resource centers, where visitors can learn about America in many different ways. pk.usembassy.gov/lincoln-corner…

@NA_Committees @HinaRKhar @PTVNewsOfficial @appcsocialmedia Minister Khar, a small delegation from your graduate alma mater, UMass Amherst, is coming to ISB next month. We would be thrilled to meet you with some of our Pak public policy students. Thank you for your consideration. Ken LeBlond kleblond@donahue.umass.edu.

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs met today under its Chairperson Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, MNA at Parliament House, Islamabad. @HinaRKhar @PTVNewsOfficial @appcsocialmedia

Great coverage by #SUSI alum Nuaman about the current #UNGA.

The first lecture of the Lenox (MA) Library lecture series begins at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, with a discussion of the upcoming election with Civic Initiative founder Mike Hannahan. donahue.umass.edu/news-events/me…