Announcing the Inaugural Director of the Rutgers Democracy Lab

January 28, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

It is my great pleasure to announce the appointment of Dr. Nicholas V. Longo as the inaugural Director of the Rutgers Democracy Lab; a groundbreaking new institution housed at the Eagleton Institute of Politics. Dr. Longo will begin his new role on February 1.

The Rutgers Democracy Lab was created in 2025 with a transformational philanthropic gift and a singular mission: to strengthen American democracy. The Lab’s mission is to strengthen American democracy through education, dialogue across differences, and collaborative problem-solving.  Aligning with this mission, Dr. Longo’s career has been defined by his ability to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world democratic practice.

Dr. Longo currently serves Providence College as Chair and Professor of Global Studies, and as Co-Director of the Dialogue, Inclusion, and Democracy (DID) Lab, an action-research lab focused on civil discourse, democratic skill-building, and inclusive public engagement. Under his leadership, DID developed faculty learning communities, student dialogue fellowships, public dialogues, and innovative approaches to reimagining campus spaces to promote healthier democratic cultures. These efforts offer a powerful model for the work ahead at Rutgers.

Previously, Dr. Longo led a national initiative at Campus Compact to increase student participation in public life and served as the Inaugural Director of the Wilks Leadership Institute at Miami University. His works include Why Community Matters and Creating Space for Democracy, which provide the theoretical and practical foundations for the “deliberative pedagogy” that the Rutgers Democracy Lab will champion. Dr. Longo has secured over $750,000 in grants and contracts from prestigious organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts and the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, to fund civic initiatives.

Dr. Longo earned a B.A. in Political Science and Public and Community Service from Providence College, an MPA from Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. from the Department of Work, Community, and Family Education at the University of Minnesota.

No stranger to Rutgers, in 2025 Dr. Longo led a workshop for the Scarlet Service Internship Summer Scholars, where he saw Rutgers’ potential to become a national leader in building civic-minded communities.

As Director, Dr. Longo will oversee the creation of the Rutgers Democracy Lab Think and Do Tank, the expansion of “Talking Across Difference” workshops, and the development of a Technology and Democracy Research Hub. His collaborative leadership style will ensure that the Lab engages every facet of the university—from the arts to STEM—to prepare all students for their roles as active democratic citizens.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Longo and wishing him success as he embarks on this vital mission to strengthen the principles of democracy through education and engagement at the Rutgers Democracy Lab.

Sincerely,

Jason Geary, Ph.D. 
Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Rutgers University–New Brunswick