The USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future hosted a conversation with Laurie Patton, president of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences discussing strategies for navigating an uncertain political climate, Tuesday evening.
The event was part of a series of online programming called “Unum, Democracy Reignited” which explores the “past, present and future of the American idea,” and focuses on bridging political polarization, according to its website.
Moderating the talk was Liz Joyner, president of the Village Square, an organization that hosts annual events to foster conversation around divisive issues, and Steven Seibert, executive director of Florida Humanities which works to foster the humanities at the state level.
“[Our intention is] both helping people feel agency and that they have power over not just their own life, but the lives in our communities,” Joyner said in an interview with Annenberg Media. “At a time like this, we have increasingly seen people becoming more and more disconnected, throwing their arms up and saying, ‘What can I do?’ That’s a very human reaction to a time like this, but it’s the exact opposite reaction of what changes anything.”
Working across the aisle was a key theme in Tuesday’s dialogue, titled “Our Common Purpose” in reference to the Academy’s over 30 bipartisan recommendations on “renewing constitutional democracy,” Patton said.
For Patton, central to these efforts is the idea of nurturing relationships despite differences, which both her and Joyner agree is something people need. Patton pointed to the two Muslim families who have held the keys to the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, a significant Christian monument, for centuries as an example of when difference is needed to avoid conflict.
Patton provided extensive historical context for the function of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, highlighting its role as an interdisciplinary research institute. The Academy held a debate about Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution in the 19th century and was the site of Alexander Graham Bell’s demonstration of the telephone.
Founded in 1780, the academy has since worked to “gather every art and science so as to enhance the interest, honor and dignity of a free, independent and virtuous people,” Patton said.
Specifically, the academy works on five areas: American institutions, education, security and international studies, science and humanities.
Amid growing student debt and job uncertainty post-grad, the academy is working to address opportunities for students after high school.
The Education Data Initiative reported an over 4% increase in student loan debt in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year. These financial burdens are heightened as the Department of Education has resumed collecting on defaulted federal student loans, and increased tuition fees have outpaced wage growth, according to the World Economic Forum.
Patton referenced the academy’s “Commission on Opportunities After High School,” which works with experts in education to introduce new paths for young people to follow.
“We’re looking at recommending a more powerful network between curricular designers and faculty and [employers] … to create multiple ways of thinking so that the idea of a college dropout isn’t the sort of failure,” Patton said.
Patton hoped the commission can help show the many different ways success looks like for high school graduates, and underscored the bipartisan effort of creating greater access to post-secondary education.
Steven Seibert further emphasized the power of converging without restrictive political agendas, and the humanities — as a field of study that helps us understand one another — as a means of survival for democracy.
“The radical place to be often is in the middle,” Patton said. “It’s so profoundly important for us to think about [what we owe each other] as we begin to try to weave a social fabric together that looks different.”