Rose State College Engaged Community Through The Great Debates: Power, Politics, and People Series and CivicsCon Published April 14, 2025

Rose State College recently brought together students, faculty, and the community for two events focused on civic engagement, democracy, and political awareness — The Great Debates: Power, Politics, and People series and the fourth annual CivicsCon. Leading voices from academia, government, industry, and media attended the campus events.

Both initiatives were spearheaded by Dr. Emily Stacey, Rose State College Political Science Professor, who coordinated The Great Debates series and played a central role in organizing CivicsCon. The days’ events encouraged civil discourse and active citizenship, which sparked critical conversations and empowered participants to take active community roles.

CivicsCon Keynote and Sessions

CivicsCon featured a full day of interactive sessions, including:

• Opening Plenary with Andy Moore of Let’s Fix This and Dr. Emily Stacey, Rose State College
• Civic Engagement in Native Communities with Amy Warne and Ginny Underwood, Rock the Native Vote
• The Candidate Experience with Kerry Keck and Chris Wier
• Identifying & Combating Christian Nationalism with Rev. Chris Moore
• Embracing a Liberatory Narrative with Aurelius Franscisco and Tevin McDaniel
• Writing Letters to the Editor with Janelle Stecklein, Oklahoma Voice
• Housing Policy in Oklahoma with Sabine Brown, Oklahoma Policy Institute
• Advocating for the Arts with Danielle Ezell, Oklahomans for the Arts
• Building a Resilient Oklahoma with Julie Knutson and Lynn Thompson, Oklahoma Academy
• Messaging Matters with Adam Brooks
• Networking Event sponsored by Veterans for All Voters

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison delivered a powerful keynote address, inspiring attendees to embrace civic leadership, justice, and participation in democracy.

The Great Debates Series

Three panelists, Keith Eakins (UCO), Mark Blitz (OKCU), and Carla Pratt (OU), joined Dr. Emily Stacey for a moderated panel discussion of the Supreme Court of the United States and its legitimacy.

Dr. Emily Stacey’s Civic Engagement Work

In addition to Dr. Stacey’s civic engagement on campus, she works with numerous organizations in the community and has been honored with multiple awards.

In the Fall of 2024, Dr. Stacey was selected as a Periclean Deliberative Dialogue Fellow. As part of this fellowship, she integrated discourse-focused modules into her American Government and Introduction to Mass Media courses at Rose State. These modules emphasized civil discourse, critical research, and respectful debate — skills essential to sustaining a healthy democracy.

Further reflecting her impact on civic education and public discourse, Dr. Stacey co-authored an op-ed with Dr. Christine Pappas from East Central University, critiquing the state of Oklahoma's involvement in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. This piece was republished on the influential SCOTUS Blog, expanding the reach of her scholarship and commentary.

Dr. Stacey’s national expertise in civic engagement was further recognized through her recent feature in Commonweal Magazine, highlighting her efforts to foster democracy within community college spaces.

For more information about The Great Debate Series and CivicsCon, visit Rose State College.