Montclair 250

The 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation can be an occasion for looking back. It can also be a time to look forward. The American Experiment began in 1776 and has been evolving and changing ever since. The founders of this bold experiment in self governance understood that a democratic republic required perpetual vigilance and it needed to be adaptable.

They also recognized that an educated citizenry is essential to democracy. This required universal education, which required teachers. Originally founded as Montclair Normal School, a teachers’ college, Montclair maintains its mission to prepare students to “flourish as collaborative, compassionate citizen-leaders.”

Beginning with the President’s Fall 2025 lecture series through the end of 2026, Montclair State University will be exploring various facets of what American innovation and ideals mean two and a half centuries later. This work will span across academic disciplines to show the full range of how far our country has come and where we must improve.

President’s Lecture Series

In this lecture series, President Jonathan Koppell explores the American Experiment, its founding principles, the role of higher education and both contemporary and future challenges and opportunities.

Each session will include a formal lecture focusing on different aspects of the American Experiment with an emphasis on audience engagement and participation.

Upcoming Lectures:

Markets and the Republic: The Political Economy of American Democracy
Monday, February 2, 2026, 6:00-7:30pm Presentation Hall

The relationship between American democracy and capitalism is complex – ranging from antagonistic to symbiotic. Tracing this relationship from the founding era through major economic transformations, social movements, and political reforms, this lecture examines how markets have both supported and strained democratic ideals of equality, liberty, and self-government. The lecture will consider pivotal debates over regulation, labor, innovation, and inequality, highlighting moments when democratic institutions reshaped capitalism – and when economic power challenged democratic accountability. Participants will be invited to reflect on what this evolving relationship means for the future of democratic governance in the United States.

Innovation Nation: Knowledge, Discovery and the American Emergence
Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 6:00-7:30pm Presentation Hall

Scientific inquiry, intellectual property and innovation have played a pivotal role in shaping America’s economic growth, security, and democratic aspirations. From early patent law and land-grant universities to federally funded research and the modern innovation economy, this lecture explores how public policy has structured incentives for discovery and dissemination of knowledge. Particular attention is given to universities as engines of research, talent development, and public purpose, operating at the intersection of academic freedom and national priorities. Participants will be asked to consider how evolving partnerships between government and higher education advance the common good and fuel America’s capacity for innovation.

Governing Beyond Elections: Accountability, Prosperity and the American Administrative State
Monday, March 23, 2026, 6:00-7:30pm Presentation Hall

The emergence of a highly competent bureaucracy is typically underappreciated, if not ignored, as an ingredient in the emergence of the American experiment. While government administrators are often derided as inefficient or even obstructionist, technocrats are responsible for making government work and offer policy continuity and expertise across administrations. Still, the growth of a large permanent bureaucracy challenges the notion of accountability grounded in democratic elections. By tracing historical developments and contemporary debates, this lecture focuses on the centrality of government administrative capacity in the American experiment, focusing on the tensions and collaboration between elected officials and professional bureaucrats. We will consider the role of independent government agencies that were established with the idea of partitioning regulatory functions from partisan pressure.

Ideals, Interests and International Engagement: The United States in World Affairs
Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 6:00-7:30pm Presentation Hall

America’s role in shaping the global political and economic order has shifted repeatedly over the last 250 years, reflecting the evolution of American interests and longstanding debates regarding the role of the United States in world affairs. Drawing on foundational principles, pivotal historical moments, and contemporary challenges, this lecture explores how American power, values, and institutions have influenced international norms, security, and governance and also how international dynamics have shaped American democracy. The lecture considers tensions between ideals and practices – democracy, markets, sovereignty, nation-building, imperialism, isolationism, intervention – in U.S. engagement abroad. Participants will be invited to reflect on the ways in which American leadership on the global stage has shaped our nation and what that implies in the current era.

For more information, please contact us at montclair250@montclair.edu.