The Bonnie & Bill Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications
Community Leadership & Civil Advocacy Certificate (CLCA)
PSCI 250: Foundations in Community Leadership and Civil Advocacy fulfills the Civic Knowledge requirement in Shepherd University’s core curriculum. It is also appropriate for non-enrolled community members as a professional development course. The class will be offered in-person during the Spring 2027 semester.
The Stubblefield Institute’s Community Leadership & Civil Advocacy (CLCA) program teaches students how to effectively advocate for the issues they care about it. Some students bring a completely new idea entirely of their own choosing. Other students bring an idea they have been working on previously and develop it further as the course progresses. The step-by-step structure of the course helps the student carry the idea from a vague concept, through a community-centered development process, to a well-articulated and workable plan presented to an community leader appropriate for the specific topic.
About the Stubblefield Institute
The Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications officially opened its doors on July 1, 2019, with offices in the beautiful Frank Center on the campus of Shepherd University.
Made possible by a generous gift by Drs. Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield, the mission of the Stubblefield Institute is to serve as an active center for the study and promotion of civil political discourse.
Upon the opening of the Institute, Shepherd University President Mary J.C. Hendrix
noted, “How we, as citizens persuade, advocate, and converse with one another across competing opinions, is of utmost importance to the future health of our democracy. As citizens and voters, we need to address our divisions and learn how to talk to each other again in a civil manner.”
At all times, the Stubblefield Institute seeks to promote greater public awareness of how authentic and factual civil discourse across partisan divides leads to more productive debate and understanding.
In the classroom, the Institute also seeks to train the next generation of political, media, and public policy communications professionals who will one day be on the front lines of message development and delivery. Shepherd now offers undergraduates a degree in political science with a communications concentration. This effort is led by Shepherd University’s world-class faculty from both the political science and communications departments.
A few Current initiatives of the Stubblefield Institute
- Community Leadership and Civil Advocacy Certificate The 2024-25 cohort from Shepherd University and two partner schools met monthly as students learned from community leaders and developed their advocacy projects. In Fall 2025, , Foundations of Community Leadership and Civil Advocacy, was offered as a 3-credit class at Shepherd University. In Spring 2026, Foundations of Community Leadership and Civil Advocacy was offered online as a 3-credit class. In Spring 2027, it will be offered as PSCI 250. The class now fulfills the Civic Knowledge requirement of Shepherd University’s core curriculum. This class is open to enrolled students and to community members.
- Listen. Learn. Engage. – LLE student programming works with students to develop motivation, skills, and confidence to participate in civic engagement and civil discourse in ways that move through division into connection and understanding. Learn more about student programs here.
- Community Engagement Conversations – Public forums focus on local and West Virginia issues, bringing together community and state leaders to examine the multi-faceted challenges experienced in the Mountain State and surrounding region.
- The American Conversation Series – Through public forums, each with multiple high-profile speakers representing all sides of the partisan and/or ideological aisle, the Stubblefield Institute hosts discussion relevant to everyone in our nation.
- National Civility Awards – These awards are presented every two years and shine a spotlight toward our legislators and national leaders who don’t shy away from bipartisanship, collaboration, and honest debate.
- WV Emerging – This new program provides targeted research support to ensure West Virginia lawmakers have the latest data and expert recommendations for policy decisions. It provides a neutral, solutions-oriented forum in which legislators can engage with students, experts, and other stakeholders to pioneer new approaches to the complex issues facing our state. The inaugural WV Emerging conference was held in September 2026, addressing the topic of Early Childhood Education and Childcare in West Virginia.
Learn more about the Stubblefield Institute
Signup for our mailing list or contact the Stubblefield Institute
Located in Scarborough Library offices 249-253.
Direct Line: 304-876-5005
Civility and Civic Engagement Survey Report
Read the results of the “Civility and Civic Engagement Survey” conducted by Stubblefield Institute Senior Fellow for Research Dr. Stephanie A. Slocum-Schaffer here:
Civility and Civic Engagement Research and Data Report
Support the Stubblefield Institute
To make a gift to the Stubblefield Institute, please visit our donation page.
