From Campus to Community: ACCLA Class of ’27

On a crisp morning atop Petit Jean Mountain, 41 students from 12 Arkansas colleges and universities gathered at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute to begin a journey that will challenge them to think differently about leadership, community, and civic engagement.

Over the next seven months, members of the Arkansas Civic and Collegiate Leadership Academy (ACCLA) Class of 2027 will explore government, public service, civic health, media literacy, and community leadership while building relationships that may shape Arkansas’s future for years to come.

The Institute also launched a new Northwest Arkansas Civic Fellows cohort within ACCLA. The Walton Family Foundation awarded the Institute a grant to pilot the model, expanding opportunities for nine students attending colleges or universities in Benton and Washington counties to participate in civic leadership development and community-based service learning.  

The grant supports tuition assistance for Northwest Arkansas Civic Fellows as well as travel, lodging, and meals, helping reduce financial barriers to participation.  

As participants settled into their first session, Institute Executive Director/CEO Janet Harris reminded them that leadership isn’t about individual achievement, but about helping others create meaningful change together.

“My favorite definition of leadership is accepting the responsibility for enabling others to achieve a shared purpose under conditions of uncertainty,” Harris said.

That idea became a central theme of the weekend. In an increasingly complex and divided world, leadership requires collaboration, curiosity, and a willingness to work across differences.

A Place Built for Dialogue

The class began its journey at the Institute, a place built for bringing people together. For many students, it was their first visit to Petit Jean Mountain and the historic grounds once home to Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller.

Harris shared Rockefeller’s vision for the mountaintop, not simply as a residence, but as a gathering place where people could come together to address Arkansas’s most pressing challenges. She explained that the Institute continues that tradition through the Rockefeller Ethic, which encourages diverse perspectives, respectful dialogue, and collaborative problem-solving.

“There’s power in convening,” she said. “There’s power in bringing people together,” Harris said.

That approach aligns closely with ACCLA’s mission. The program was created not only to teach students about civic systems but also to help them develop the skills needed to lead within them.

Why Civic Leadership Matters

ACCLA traces its origins to the Institute’s Civic Arkansas program, which launched after the release of the Arkansas Civic Health Index.

While Arkansas performs well in charitable giving, social connection, and community involvement, challenges remain in voter participation, trust in institutions, and civic engagement.

To better understand those challenges, the Institute conducted 28 listening sessions in 22 communities across Arkansas. Three recurring themes emerged: greater access to trusted local news, more civic spaces for community dialogue, and expanded civic education. Those insights helped shape ACCLA.

“There was a need and a desire for a structured civic leadership program at the collegiate level, one that supplements what students are learning in the classroom and prepares and inspires the next generation of public servants,” said Institute Director of Programs Dr. Liz Lundeen.

That approach came to life during a fireside conversation with Arkansas State Sens. Breanne Davis (R-Russellville) and Jamie Scott (D-North Little Rock). Sen. Davis encouraged students to begin engaging now rather than waiting until they feel fully prepared.

“Don’t sit around and wait. Just take a step forward and do it,” she said.

Sen. Scott emphasized the value of sharing personal experiences, seeking perspectives beyond their own and building relationships across political differences.

“The power of your own story,” Sen. Scott said. “Share your story with people because you don’t know how it’s going to impact somebody’s life.”

Together, their perspectives gave participants a firsthand example of respectful dialogue, bipartisan leadership, and finding common ground in service to Arkansas.

Carrying Forward a Legacy

As the kickoff concluded, participants reflected on the legacy of Winthrop Rockefeller and the responsibility of civic leadership today.

Harris recalled Rockefeller’s message to Arkansans upon leaving office:

“Every citizen has a duty to be informed, to be thoughtfully concerned, and to participate in the search for solutions.”

More than 50 years later, that challenge remains. For the ACCLA Class of 2027, the months ahead are about becoming leaders who listen, collaborate, and help communities navigate uncertainty together.

As they begin their ACCLA journey, Arkansas’s next generation of changemakers is taking an important first step, one conversation, one connection, and one community at a time.

Brittany Reese

Communications Specialistbreese@rockefellerinstitute.org