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The Alexander Initiative

The Alexander Initiative’s goal is to provide high school history and civics educators from across the United States with a fully funded professional development experience that bolsters their capacity to teach American history in ways that strengthen students’ faith in democratic values and institutions.

Wyatt Center steps

The 2027 application will go live on November 15.

About

The Lamar Alexander Initiative was established in recognition of the Honorable Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Vanderbilt class of ’62 and University Trustee, retired US senator, the 45th governor of Tennessee, the 5th US Secretary of Education, and the former president of the University of Tennessee, for his lifetime of public service on behalf of improving education for all Americans.

In June 2027, the Alexander Initiative will launch its third Seminar for Teachers. A national cohort of up to 30 Alexander Fellows will be chosen through an application process designed to identify outstanding high school teachers of US history and civics (grades 9-12). As recipients of this honor, Fellows will be fully funded and will be mentored by Vanderbilt's faculty and their higher education peers. Teachers at public, charter, independent, and private schools are welcome to apply.

Alexander Fellows who complete the program will earn a certificate of completion and continuing education units (CEUs). They will also acquire new skills, strategies, and resources to improve their classroom practice as a member of a vibrant professional learning community.

Room and board, $1,000 for travel, and a $2,500 stipend are paid for by the Alexander Initiative.

“The study of history fosters shared understanding, strengthens civic bonds, and helps us see the past in front of us more clearly. Investing in the professional development of history and civics teachers is an investment in the future of our students, schools, communities, and nation.”

Christopher Loss
Justice-Moore Family Director, The Alexander Initiative

Program Details and Benefits

  • Residential Program of Study (June 13-19, 2027)

    The June week-long program of study will include intensive study and training. There will not be class on June 19 in observance of the Juneteenth Holiday. Readings will be provided in advance. Faculty presenters are subject to change.

    • Day 1 (6/13): Arrival and Welcome Banquet
    • Day 2 (6/14): The American Experiment: Revolution and Western Conquest
      • Seminar:
        • Kim Welch - American Revolution
        • Daniel Sharfstein - Indian Removal
      • Skills: Primary documents in the history classroom (VU Special Collections)
      • Immersion: Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage with Jon Meacham
    • Day 3 (6/15): A House Divided: Civil War and Reconstruction
      • Seminar:
        • Brandon Byrd - Slavery and Abolition
        • Aaron Sheehan-Dean - Civil War, Reconstruction, and Memory
      • Skills: Curriculum Design (AdvancED)
      • Immersion: Tennessee State History Museum
    • Day 4 (6/16): The Administrative State: New Deal to the Great Society
      • Seminar:
        • John Dearborn - New Deal
        • Christopher Loss - Great Society
      • Skills: Assessment (AdvancED)
      • Immersion: Tennessee State Capitol
    • Day 5 (6/17): Rights Revolutions: From Civil Rights to the New Right
      • Seminar:
        • Dennis Dickerson - Civil Rights
        • Niki Hemmer - Modern Conservatism
      • Skills: The uses of local history
      • Immersion: Civil Rights Reading Room, Nashville Public Library; Walking Tour; National Museum of African American Music
    • Day 6 (6/18): US in the World: The Presidency and Foreign Policy since World War II
      • Seminar:
        • Tom Schwartz - Foreign Policy
        • Sharece Thrower - Congress and the Presidency
      • Skills and Immersion: AI and VR in the History Classroom at the LIVE Learning Innovation Incubator
        • Ole Molvig - Teaching with AI
      • Lesson Plan Design Overview
        • Andy Hostetler – Building a Lesson Plan
      • Closing Banquet
        • Jefferson Cowie – Keynote Address
    • Day 7 (6/19): Departure - Juneteenth National Independence Day
  • Daily Modules
    • Seminar – Individual and panel presentations facilitated by Vanderbilt faculty and other leading experts from the fields of history, political science, education, and law.
    • Skills – The exploration of different research, pedagogical and curricular strategies to improve high school US history classroom teaching and learning (e.g., archival work, universal curriculum design, assessment, responsive pedagogy, Artificial Intelligence, digital literacy)
    • Immersion – Field work, site visits, and other activities to showcase the use of experiential education in the high school history classroom (e.g., Vanderbilt University Archives and Special Collections; The Hermitage; State Capitol; Civil Rights Reading Room at the Nashville Public Library; National Museum of African American Music; Tennessee State Museum; LIVE Learning Innovation Incubator; Wond’ry Making and Design Space at Vanderbilt University)
  • Remote Coaching
    • Lesson Plan Design
    • Roundtables (themed around emerging problems in practice)
    • Online Lesson Plan Presentation and Program Completion (April)

    Instructional coaches who are experienced teachers and teacher educators will facilitate the remote learning experience during the academic year. This will include monthly remote small group and one-on-one video-based coaching and roundtable meetings with the whole cohort.

  • Benefits

    The Alexander Initiative will provide:

    • In-depth history workshops led by leading experts in the field of US history and related areas.
    • Access to innovative teaching resources to develop curriculum materials and lesson plans.
    • Opportunities to expand professional networks and communities of practice.
    • A deeper pedagogical repertoire to navigate difficult moments in teaching US history and civics.
    • A certificate and Continuing Education Units upon successful completion of the program.
    • Room and board, $1,000 for travel, and a $2,500 stipend.
Graphic showing details about he 2026 Alexander Initiative class, including where they're from and how many there are

Alexander Fellows

To learn more about our current and past fellowship classes, view our Alexander Fellows page.

Lesson Plan Archive

Go to the Lesson Plan Archive to download custom lesson plans and teaching tools designed by our fellows for other high school history teachers.

Faculty Presenters

Partners

VU Partners

Community Partners

Alexander Initiative Logo
Alexander Initiative Partner Logos

Apply and Contact

2027 Quick Application Instructions

Please note: the application will not be available for completion until November 15, 2027

1. Click “Apply” to go the Vanderbilt PACE administered application portal.

2. Click “login" link to create a learner account.

3. Select “My Applications” from the menu

4. Select “Start” on the Alexander Initiative Application

Key Dates

  • Teachers interested in participating should complete an application by the priority deadline of January 15, 2027.
  • Applicants will be notified of admissions decisions by March 1, 2027.
  • The Summer 2027 Seminar will take place Sunday, June 13 (arrive in Nashville, TN) to Saturday, June 19 (depart from Nashville, TN).
  • From August 2027 – March 2028 there will be monthly online coaching sessions and roundtables culminating in an online lesson plan presentation. 

In the News

Giving

For information on how to make your gift to the Alexander Initiative at Vanderbilt University, please contact Hilary Dow Ward, Ed.D., Senior Director of Development for Peabody College at hilary.r.ward@vanderbilt.edu. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the Alexander Initiative?

    The Alexander Initiative at Vanderbilt University provides high school history and civics educators from across the United States with a fully funded professional development experience. Its goal is to strengthen educators’ ability to teach American history in ways that deepen students’ understanding of and faith in democratic values and institutions.

    The initiative was established in recognition of the Honorable Lamar Alexander, Vanderbilt Class of 1962 and University Trustee, whose public service included serving as governor of Tennessee, U.S. Secretary of Education, U.S. senator, and president of the University of Tennessee.

  • Who is eligible to apply to be an Alexander fellow?

    The program is designed for outstanding high school teachers of U.S. history and civics in grades 9–12. Teachers from public, charter, independent, and private schools are welcome to apply. 

    A national cohort of up to 30 Alexander Fellows is selected through a competitive application process.

  • What does the Alexander Initiative program include?

    The Alexander Initiative combines an intensive residential seminar at Vanderbilt University with continued professional learning during the academic year. 

    The residential experience includes three primary types of learning: 

    Seminars — Presentations and discussions led by Vanderbilt faculty and other experts in history, political science, education, law, and related fields. 

    Skills — Opportunities to explore research, curricular, and pedagogical strategies that can strengthen high school history and civics instruction. Topics may include archival research, curriculum design, assessment, artificial intelligence, digital literacy, and other approaches to teaching and learning. 

    Immersion — Field experiences and site visits that demonstrate ways experiential education can enrich history instruction. 

    Following the residential experience, Fellows participate in remote coaching, lesson-plan development, small-group and individual video-based coaching, and cohort roundtables. 

  • What topics does the seminar address?

    Programming explores major themes and periods in U.S. history and government. Recent seminar programming has included the American Revolution and western expansion, slavery and abolition, the Civil War and Reconstruction, the New Deal and Great Society, civil rights, modern conservatism, the presidency, Congress, and U.S. foreign policy. 

    The program also connects historical content with practical approaches that teachers can bring back to their classrooms.

  • What kinds of experiential learning opportunities are included?

    Recent programming has incorporated Vanderbilt University Archives and Special Collections as well as visits and learning experiences with Nashville-area institutions and historic sites. 

    Examples include the Tennessee State Capitol, Tennessee State Museum, The Hermitage, the Civil Rights Reading Room at the Nashville Public Library, the National Museum of African American Music, and Vanderbilt’s LIVE Learning Innovation Incubator. 

  • How much does the Alexander Initiative cost?

    The program is fully funded for selected Alexander Fellows. 

    The Alexander Initiative provides: 

    • Room and board 
    • $1,000 for travel 
    • A $2,500 stipend 

    This financial support is intended to make the professional development experience accessible to participating educators from across the country.

  • What do Fellows receive after completing the program?

    Fellows who successfully complete the program receive a certificate of completion and Continuing Education Units (CEUs). 

    Participants also leave the program with new instructional skills, teaching strategies, curricular resources, professional connections, and membership in a professional learning community of history and civics educators.

  • What happens after the residential seminar?

    Professional learning continues beyond the summer experience. Instructional coaches who are experienced teachers and teacher educators facilitate remote learning during the academic year. 

    Activities include monthly small-group and one-on-one video-based coaching, cohort roundtables, lesson-plan development, and an online lesson-plan presentation marking program completion.

  • Are resources created by previous Fellows available to other teachers?

    Yes. The Alexander Initiative maintains a Lesson Plan Archive featuring custom lesson plans and teaching tools developed by Fellows for use by other high school history educators.

  • Who teaches and mentors Alexander Fellows?

    Fellows learn from Vanderbilt faculty and other experts representing disciplines including history, political science, education, law, libraries and archives, and educational innovation. 

    The initiative also works with Vanderbilt and community partners to provide specialized resources and experiential learning opportunities.

  • When is the next program?

    Vanderbilt states that the Alexander Initiative will launch its third Seminar for Teachers in June 2027. 

    Important application update: Vanderbilt currently states that the 2027 application will be available in November. Prospective applicants should consult the Alexander Initiative website for the new application, 2027 deadlines, and confirmed seminar dates when they are posted.

  • How do I apply to be an Alexander fellow?

    Application instructions are posted each year on this webpage, usually in the "Key Dates" section.

    Because some “Key Dates” currently displayed on the website refer to the previous 2026 program cycle, applicants should rely on the forthcoming 2027 application information for the next cohort’s deadlines.

  • Who can I contact with questions?

    The Alexander Initiative 
    Peabody College of Education and Human Development 
    Vanderbilt University 
    230 Appleton Place 
    Nashville, TN 37203 

    Email: alexander.initiative@vanderbilt.edu 

  • Where can I learn more?

    This webpage serves as the main hub for all information, including program details, Alexander Fellows, faculty presenters, partner organizations, the Lesson Plan Archive, application information, and program news. 

    For more details, please email us: alexander.initiative@vanderbilt.edu.