FREE SPEECH

The Madden Center is committed to upholding the American value of free speech with regular events. On July 8, 2022, the Center hosted a free speech lecture and luncheon with Seth Dillon, CEO of the Babylon Bee, with over 100 attendees. The Center also hosted a lecture by Devon Westhill, a proponent of free speech and President of the Center for Equal Opportunity on April 3, 2023.

Civics Education Program Internship

The Madden Center is partnering with the Civics Education Program, a local initiative which provides instruction to incarcerated persons in South Florida. The program is recognized by the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) and has operated with great success at South Bay Correctional Facility and Moore Haven Correctional Facility. Inmates read, study, and discuss basic and advanced materials in civics, ethics, economics, and literature to develop a solid understanding of the principles and practices of American civil life. For each course, inmates participate in weekly, two-hour, in-person sessions with college-level faculty and adult and student volunteers, utilizing a Socratic, discussion-based format. The incarcerated participants speak highly about the value university students bring to this academic experience, and volunteers walk away edified by the inmates’ desire to deepen their knowledge base.