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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.

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The 2026 application portal has now closed.

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 2026, the Alexander Initiative will launch its second 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 14-21, 2026)

    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 (6/14): Arrival and Welcome Banquet
    • Day 2 (6/15): 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 (6/16): 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 (6/17): 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 (6/18): 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 (6/19): No Class -- Juneteenth National Independence Day
    • Day 7 (6/20): 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 8 (6/21): Departure
  • 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

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Alexander Initiative Partner Logos

Apply and Contact

2026 Quick Application Instructions

The 2026 application portal has now closed.

Key Dates

  • Teachers interested in participating should complete an application by the priority deadline of January 15, 2026.
  • Applicants will be notified of admissions decisions by March 1, 2026.
  • The Summer 2026 Seminar will take place Sunday, June 14 (arrive in Nashville, TN) to Sunday, June 21 (depart from Nashville, TN).
  • From August 2026 – March 2027 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.