USC undergraduates interested in the life of the mind, the intellectual and political traditions of the American experiment and the nature and tasks of responsible citizenship are encouraged to join the Lieber Forum.
Members of the Lieber Forum are encouraged to participate actively in the life of the Center for American Civic Leadership and Public Discourse. Opportunities for Lieber Forum Undergraduates include:
- Reading groups led by faculty and staff covering a wide range of topics related to leadership, American history, philosophy, education and more.
- Small group meetings with the center’s distinguished speakers and guests, which include well-known thought leaders as well as rising scholars.
- Grants for books, travel, and research on topics related to the center’s core ideals.
- Competitive prizes for outstanding work.
The Francis Lieber Undergraduate Scholarship
The South Carolina Center for American Civic Leadership and Public Discourse is pleased to announce the Francis Lieber Undergraduate Scholarship. Incoming first-year students at the University of South Carolina are encouraged to apply for the Francis Lieber Undergraduate Scholarship of $1250 per semester. This award will be renewed annually for up to three additional years for students who maintain a 3.0 average in their coursework, are members in good standing of the Francis Lieber Undergraduate Forum, attend at least two Center activities per semester, and take one Foundations of Civic Education and Public Discourse class, or an approved equivalent, per year.
America 250 Video Competition 2026
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In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and in recognition of the freedoms secured through our Constitution and republican form of government, the Center for American Civic Leadership & Public Discourse invites all currently enrolled students to participate in a university-wide video competition.
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Students are encouraged to engage seriously, creatively, and thoughtfully with the prompt: “Is freedom in peril?”
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Entrants may interpret this statement in any manner they choose. Videos may support, challenge, complicate, reinterpret, or otherwise critically engage the prompt from any perspective. Videos must be between 2:30-3:00 minutes long, in .mp4 format, and less than 2048 MB.
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Award amount: $250 (multiple winners may be selected)
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Deadline: March 30, 2026
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Winners Announced: April 10, 2026, at the Center's Open House at Spigner House from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Winning videos will be screened at the Open House.
Join the Lieber Forum
To apply for membership in the Francis Lieber Undergraduate Forum, please submit the application below. Only undergraduate students at the University of South Carolina are eligible to apply. (A Graduate Forum is in development.)
About Francis Lieber
Francis Lieber was a German-American legal scholar, political philosopher and educator who played a pivotal role in shaping American legal and civic thought in the 19th century. He also was the first political science professor at the University of South Carolina, where he helped lay the foundation for the academic study of politics.
Born in Prussia in 1800, Lieber immigrated to the United States in the 1820s after being imprisoned for his liberal political beliefs. He is best known for drafting the Lieber Code, a set of military guidelines commissioned by President Abraham Lincoln that influenced the development of the modern laws of war. He also compiled the Encyclopædia Americana and published On Civil Liberty and Self Government, a bestseller in political thought that was a staple of university curriculum for years. Read more about Francis Lieber.
The Francis Lieber Undergraduate Forum reflects his deep commitment to rigorous scholarship, democratic ideals and intellectual inquiry as it encourages students to explore the principles of American democracy, develop their capacities for leadership and contribute thoughtfully to public discourse.