Making Democracy Work: Strengthening Institutions, Engaging Communities, Empowering Citizens
Regional Summits on Issues that Matter
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Ware Center
On-site/same day registration available.
Event Details:
Millersville University will host its 6th Annual Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Conference on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, focusing on "Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions". This one-day conference will take place at The Ware Center in downtown Lancaster, PA from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, bringing together policymakers, community leaders and advocates, agency heads and staff, and educators to address one of today's most pressing social challenges.
The conference aims to facilitate meaningful dialogue on innovative solutions, best practices, and resource sharing to promote peace, justice, and community safety in alignment with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
The day-long event will include:
- Demystify election administration by bringing county-level officials and state election experts into direct conversation with educators, community leaders, and citizens — grounding the day in how democratic systems actually work, not rhetoric about how they should work.
- Feature nonpartisan, practitioner-led sessions that focus on system design, structural challenges, and institutional resilience — avoiding partisan talking points and instead equipping attendees with knowledge they can apply in their communities.
- Provide educators with classroom-ready civics resources and strategies developed in partnership with organizations like the Pennsylvania Council for the Social Studies and local school districts.
- Showcase sustainable journalism models — such as Spotlight PA and Votebeat — alongside traditional local outlets to demonstrate how communities can rebuild information infrastructure even as legacy media declines.
- Create space for student voices through a dedicated student panel where high school and university students share their perspectives on civic education and democratic engagement, ensuring the day addresses the next generation's needs and questions.
- Facilitate cross-sector dialogue among policymakers, journalists, educators, election officials, legal experts, and civic organizations — building the relationships and shared understanding necessary for collaborative problem-solving.
- Distribute takeaway resources including policy briefs, curriculum materials, and contact lists for ongoing partnerships — ensuring the conference's impact extends well beyond September 2026.
This event is hosted by the Office of Community Engagement, Governmental, and Economic Development (CEGED), the Millersville University School of Social Work, and the Center for Civic Engagement.
Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, 193 world leaders committed to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These are a series of ambitious objectives and targets to address poverty and hunger, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change, by 2030.
A few years into the aggressive agenda, there is evidence of progress across the private and nonprofit sectors, and within federal, state, and local governments. Civil society is translating this shared vision into plans and strategies. The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all.
Millersville University’s Link to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Millersville University has adopted the UN SDGs as an action item in our 2025 Strategic Plan – “Tradition and Transformation.” By 2025, we seek to expand curricular and co-curricular experiences that support Sustainable Development Goals. We also recognize our public mission to enhance the economic and social well-being of our region by advancing knowledge transfer and best practices. Hosting annual conferences of practitioners, policy leaders, and community advocates to support a shared understanding of the SDGs and accelerate the adoption of best practices aligns with our public mission and our strategic goals.
Learn more about the conference by contacting the Office of Community Engagement, Governmental and Economic Development at 717-871-5955 or Victor.Desantis@millersville.edu.
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Conference Program and Schedule
Conference Welcome (8:30AM)
Dr. Victor DeSantis, Vice President for University Relations and Strategic Initiatives, Millersville University
Conference Opening Remarks (8:35AM)
Dr. Daniel A. Wubah, President, Millersville University
Morning Keynote (8:45 to 9:30am)
Democracy's Crossroads: Challenges, Strengths, and Pathways Forward
Keynote Speaker: Amy Widestrom, PhD, Executive Director, League of Women Voters of PennsylvaniaMORNING TRIBUTE (9:30aM to 10:15AM)
Celebrating Public Service: Why Public Servants Matter to Democracy
Moderator: Dr. Karen Rice, School of Social Work, Millersville University
Featuring:
Dr. Amber Martin, County Treasurer, County of Lancaster
Rep. Bryan Cutler, State Representative, 100th District
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This session honors the dedicated elected officials who serve at every level of government — from state representatives to county commissioners to municipal mayors — and explores why their work is essential to community vitality and democratic function. Our speakers will discuss their pathways to public service, the rewards of serving their communities, and why the next generation should consider careers in public administration and civic leadership.
Morning Breakout Sessions
10:30 to 11:20 Sessions
Session A: Truth and Accountability: Political Communication and What Citizens Expect
- Pennsylvanians of all ages are navigating a political landscape filled with competing narratives, misinformation, and strategic deception—much of it on social media platforms. This panel explores what citizens across generations expect from political leaders and institutions around truthfulness and accountability. Samira Sankaran, chair of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement, brings the perspective of young Pennsylvanians ages 16-26 and what they are thinking about honesty and engagement in politics. Robert Spicer provides broader context on the challenges facing effective, truthful political communication in the modern media environment and offers insights on how political leaders can build trust through honest engagement.
Moderator: Dr. Laura Granruth, associate professor, School of Social Work, and director, Center for Civic Engagement, Millersville University
Panelists:
Dr. Robert Spicer, associate professor of communication and theater, Millersville University
Ms. Samira Sankarin, Governor's Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement
Session B: Drawing the Line: Fair Districts, Gerrymandering, and Democratic Representation
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This session explores how gerrymandering works and its impact on fair representation, examines redistricting reform efforts currently underway in Pennsylvania, and discusses the constitutional and democratic implications of unfair districts.
11:20 to 12:10 Sessions
Session A: Student Voices: What Does Democracy Look Like From Here?
- A student panel featuring high school and college students presenting their perspectives on civic education and democratic engagement. Students will share what's working in civics education, what feels disconnected from their lived experience, and what they want to know about how democracy functions.
Moderator: Kat Gastineau, councilor, City of Lancaster; member, Governor's Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement
Panelists:
Danielle Lutz, student, Hempfield High School
Noemi Witmer, student, JP McCaskey High School
Shanice Titus, student and Civic Engagement Fellow, Millersville University
Sevan Sinton, student and editor of the Snapper, Millersville University
Session B: Covering Democracy: How Local Journalists Keep Communities Informed
- A panel discussion addressing the structural challenge of diminished local news coverage. The panel — featuring local print/digital journalists, nonprofit newsroom representatives and journalism educators — will discuss coverage triage strategies, new models (nonprofit, collaborative journalism), and the civic consequences of news deserts.
Moderator: Mary Dolheimer, senior director of public relations, Millersville University
Panelists:
Colby Itkowitz, journalist, formerly with the Washington Post; board member, Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund
Jan Murphy, director of government affairs at Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association; former Capitol reporter at The Patriot-News/PennLive.com
Joanna Zuckerman Bernstein, deputy director, Spotlight PA
Afternoon Keynote (12:20 to 12:50)
Constitutional Foundations for Democracy: Why the Constitution Matters Today
The Constitution does more than establish the structure of American government. It creates the framework through which a diverse nation governs itself, divides and limits power, protects individual freedoms, and provides institutions for navigating disagreement. This conversation will explore the constitutional foundations beneath many of the ideas discussed throughout the day, from elections and separation of powers to an independent judiciary and freedom of speech and the press. As America enters the Civic Decade, the years leading to the Constitution’s 250th anniversary in 2037 and the Bill of Rights’ in 2041, it will also consider why understanding and sustaining these constitutional foundations matters for the future of American democracy.
Speaker: Julie Silverbrook, chief content and learning officer, National Constitution Center
Afternoon Breakout Sessions (4 concurrent sessions)
1:00 to 1:55Pm
Session A: Elections Drive Democracy: Election Administration, Security, and Access
- Elections are the foundation of democracy—this session features county and state election leaders discussing what it takes to administer secure, accessible, and trusted elections in Pennsylvania. Speakers explore election safety measures, strategies for encouraging voter participation, and how election officials at the county and state levels work together to strengthen democracy. The conversation emphasizes why professional, dedicated election administration is essential to democratic health and how communities can support elections that truly serve democracy.
Panelists:
Jonathan Marks, Deputy Secretary for Elections and Commissions, PA Department of State
Ray D'Agostino, commissioner, Lancaster County
Session B: Civic Engagement Beyond Voting: Building Social Capital
- Moving beyond voter participation to explore how communities can create spaces for deliberative democracy and civil dialogue. Speakers examine how structured conversations and civil discourse enable citizens and policymakers to engage meaningfully on complex policy issues and bridge ideological divides.
Panelists:
Dr. Stephen Medvic, The Honorable & Mrs. John C. Kunkel Professor of Government and Director, Center for Politics and Public Affairs, Franklin & Marshall College
Bill Madway and Dave Wagner, co-chairs, Braver Angels Pennsylvania
2:00 to 2:55amSession A: Teaching Democracy in a Polarized Classroom
- An education focused session designed so educators at all levels leave with strategies and classroom-ready resources they can implement immediately. The session will feature teachers sharing successful approaches, explore curriculum resources and provide networking opportunities for civics educators across the region. Addresses the real challenge of teaching controversial civic topics in a way that builds critical thinking without advocacy.
Panelists:
Dr. Nivedita Bagchi, professor, Department of Government, Law, and International Relations, Millersville UniversityJonah Farber, teacher, Columbia High School
Brian Booker, teaching and learning consultant – social studies, Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13
Session B: The Courts as Democratic Guardrails: Understanding the Role of an Independent Judiciary
- The session will walk through Pennsylvania's retention election model, recent major court rulings on election laws and redistricting, and why an independent judiciary matters for democratic stability. Focuses on structural and institutional questions rather than specific case outcomes.
Panelists:
Hon. Lawrence Stengel, former United States distict judge; United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
John J. Hare, attorney, Marshall Dennehey; member, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Historical Commission and the Commission on Judicial Independence
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Program Bios
Learn more about your speakers for September 15, 2026Coming soon.
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Ticketing
Follow Link for Tickets -
Location and Parking
Logistic and Venue DetailsThe Ware Center – Millersville University
42 N. Prince St.
Lancaster, PA 17603
717 871-7018Millersville University's Ware Center is Lancaster’s premier performing arts center. Located on Lancaster’s famous Gallery Row, our mission is to foster creativity, learning, and understanding in our great community.
Parking: Event parking at the Ware Center can be found at the Prince Street Garage (corner of Prince and Orange) or the Hager surface lot, both of which are within a block of our facility.
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Where to stay and what to see in Lancaster
Start planning your trip at Discover Lancaster.
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Press Release
May 7, 2026
Millersville University to Host Sept. 15 Conference on Strengthening Democratic Institutions
MILLERSVILLE, PA — May 7, 2026 — Millersville University will host its 6th Annual Sustainable Development Goals Conference on Sept. 15, 2026, focusing on "Making Democracy Work: Strengthening Institutions, Engaging Communities, Empowering Citizens." This one-day conference will take place at The Ware Center in downtown Lancaster from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., bringing together policymakers, educators, journalists, election officials, and community leaders to examine how democratic institutions function in practice.
Registration is open at www.millersville.edu/ceged/events. Registration is free for all educators and students. For other attendees, registration is $20 per person and includes breakfast and lunch.
Pennsylvania's 2026 midterm elections and ongoing debates over election reform, voting access, and civic education make this a critical moment to examine how democratic systems serve communities. The conference coincides with Constitution Day and contributes to America250, the national commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, providing a timely opportunity to explore the principles and systems that sustain American democracy.
The conference aims to facilitate nonpartisan dialogue on how democratic institutions work in practice — from election administration and judicial independence to local journalism and civic education — in alignment with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
"Our annual SDG Conference has become a vital platform for cross-sector collaboration on urgent social issues," said Dr. Victor DeSantis, vice president of university relations and strategic initiatives. "This year's focus on strengthening democratic institutions reflects our commitment to ensuring that democracy works effectively for everyone — through robust civic education, transparent governance, and informed participation. We are very excited to welcome K-12 educators and students to this year’s conference."
The day-long event will feature:
- Keynote addresses on election systems and institutional resilience
- Interactive sessions on election administration, judicial independence, combating misinformation, and civic engagement
- Panel discussions with election officials, journalists, educators, and legal experts
- Student panel featuring high school and university students on civic education
- Networking opportunities for educators, community leaders, and civic organizations
Conference participants will explore how democratic systems function at the county and state level, successful strategies for civic engagement and voter access, practical approaches for teaching democracy in increasingly polarized classrooms, and the role of local journalism in sustaining informed communities.
Conference partners thus far include the League of Womens Voters, FairDistricts PA and Braver Angels. Additional conference partners are welcome.
About the SDG Conference Series
Millersville University's annual SDG Conference series, launched in 2021, brings together diverse stakeholders to address critical challenges related to the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Each year, the Conference focuses on a specific aspect of sustainable development, providing a platform for dialogue, learning, and collective action.
About The Ware Center
The Ware Center, located in the heart of downtown Lancaster, is Millersville University's center for visual and performing arts, community engagement, and cultural enrichment. The facility provides an ideal setting for collaborative discussions and community-focused events.
Contact
Dr. Victor DeSantis, Vice President of University Relations and Strategic Initiatives, Millersville University, 717.871.5955, victor.desantis@millersville.edu.
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Conference Partners
We are honored to have the following organizations partnering with us on this year's "Making Democracy Work" conference:
