Redesigning Democracy Competition

2025 Competition Schedule

9:30 a.m. – Welcome & Overview
9:45 a.m. – “Democracy Talks” Expert Guest Speakers
10:45 a.m. – Break
11:00 a.m. – Cross-Campus Dialogues
12:00 p.m. – Lunch & Preparation Time
1:00 p.m. – Round I Presentations (all campuses present)
2:00 p.m. – Break
2:30 p.m. – Round II Presentations (finalist presentations)
3:00 p.m. – Break
3:20 p.m. – Prize Presentations & Acknowledgements
3:30 p.m. – Adjourn

*This schedule is subject to change. 

2025 Redesigning Democracy Competition FAQ’s

Where is the competition located?

The competition is virtual. Campus teams will convene on their respective campuses (in a “campus huddle”), and all competition programming – including speakers, dialogues, and presentations – will be facilitated virtually. 

Do I need to know all my team members before registering?

You can register with just a primary contact (must be marked as “attending”), a partial team, or a full team. We will reach out to request the names of the students on your team closer to the competition. Click “Register” above. Input the contact information for the primary contact. Click “Add Team Member.” If you don’t know the names of your team yet, you can still register your campus. 

Do I need to have four students and a staff/faculty advisor?

It is highly recommended that you have all four students plus a staff/faculty advisor. While teams are allowed to compete with three students, this is not recommended as it put the team at a competitive disadvantage. No more than four students can be on a team. 

When do team prepare their presentations? How are long are the presentations?

Teams have one hour to prepare and practice their presentations on the day of the competition. Team do not conduct pre-work or design their solution before the competition. Presentations must be between 5-7 minutes long. 

Why is the topic “The Role of Institutions in Polarization? What does that mean?

Political and social polarization is a growing problem, both nationally and in our local communities. Trust in institutions like religion, government, education, and the media is at an all-time low. Many of these institutions either directly contribute to, or are complicit in,  Students will design a solution to address the role that institutions like the media, political parties, higher education, etc. play a role in polarizing our society. At RDC, students will develop solutions to limit, counteract, or prevent institutions from increasing polarization.

What are the “Democracy Talks” and the “Cross-Campus Dialogue”?

During the “Democracy Talks,” expert speakers provide an overview of how various institutions play a role in polarization. During the “Cross-Campus Dialogue,” students from Pennsylvania and North Carolina will be grouped together to learn from each other’s perspectives on polarization, institutions, and democracy. 

Who are the judges?

Judges are selected from both North Carolina and Pennsylvania. They are experts in topics of polarization, dialogue, bipartisanship, higher education, media, political affairs, and more. 

Redesigning Democracy Competition 2024

Nine student teams participated in the second annual RDC hosted at Greensboro College. Students and their faculty/staff mentors heard from expert guest speakers in a series of “Democracy Talks” on topics relating to Fair Elections. Student teams participated in a Living Room Conversation and then developed and presented their idea for how to ensure more fair elections.

A panel of expert judges and volunteers from the Braver Angels Alliance of Central North Carolina scored to the presentation. The judges selected a UNC-Chapel Hill team as the first place winner ($500 cash prize to the campus to support future civic engagement initiatives plus $50 Amazon gift card to each team member) and a Warren Wilson College team as the runner-up ($250 cash prize to the campus to support future civic engagement initiatives plus $25 Amazon gift card to each team member). An NC Central University team received an honorary third place award ($25 Amazon gift card to each team member). Funding was provided by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. 

Thank you to Greensboro College for hosting. Read full highlights and view the photo gallery here. 

Redesigning Democracy Competition (RDC) Pilot  – March 2023

Four student teams, representing William Peace University, NC Central University, and UNC-Chapel Hill (two teams), participated in the inaugural RDC hosted at William Peace University. NCCE partnered with the Braver Angels Alliance of Central North Carolina (BAACNC) who facilitated the Braver Angels Common Ground Workshop on Trustworthy Elections.  Student teams participated in the workshop and then developed and presented their idea for how to ensure more trustworthy elections. A panel of judges from the BAACNC selected William Peace University and one of the UNC-Chapel Hill teams to receive the top prizes ($500 cash prize to the campus to support future civic engagement initiatives plus $100 Amazon gift card to each team member). The remaining two teams each received a $150 cash prize. Funding to develop and host this competition was provided by the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. 

Thanks to William Peace University for hosting. Read full highlights and view the photo gallery here.