Up to Us Blog

From Campus to Community: Student Civic Leadership in Action

The Up to Us Team — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:26:39 GMT

From Campus to Community: Student Civic Leadership in Action

For many students, civic engagement can feel distant or abstract — something discussed in textbooks or debated online, but rarely connected to everyday life. For Mansur Kasali, it became personal. Through his involvement with Up to Us, Mansur discovered that understanding fiscal policy and the national debt wasn’t just an academic exercise. It was a pathway to leadership, advocacy, and real community impact.

Fall 2025 Up to Us Campus Competition Highlights

Up to Us — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:52:20 GMT

Fall 2025 Up to Us Campus Competition Highlights

From Campus to Community: How One Faculty Advisor is Inspiring the Next Generation of Civic Leaders

The Up to Us Team — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:22:25 GMT

From Campus to Community: How One Faculty Advisor is Inspiring the Next Generation of Civic Leaders

In her role as Assistant Director at Stony Brook University’s Center for Civic Justice, Ashley Liegi has spent years helping students transform lessons on policy and leadership into action. Through her mentorship and her partnership with Up to Us, she’s building a generation of civic leaders ready to turn awareness into advocacy and ideas into impact.

How is the National Debt Measured?

The Up to Us Team — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:30:00 GMT

In August 2025, the federal government’s outstanding public debt passed $37 trillion for the first time in history. But what does public debt mean? And have you ever seen different numbers for how high the national debt is? That is because there are actually three different widely used measurements for the national debt. No matter which measurement you look at, the number is dangerously high, but there are important differences to understand.

Who does the US owe money to? 2020 update I Up to Us

The Up to Us Team — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 04:15:00 GMT

The national debt currently exceeds $37 trillion. In the 2020s, the U.S. has added debt at a rate of $1 trillion every 5 months, which is more than twice the rate that has prevailed over the past 25 years. The current level of spending is unsustainable, and experts agree that the current deficit will have disastrous consequences for the economy.

Is the US at Risk of Defaulting in Its Debt? Debt | ItsUpToUs

The Up to Us Team — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

The U.S. national debt has passed the $37 trillion mark and keeps growing. Experts believe that current levels of spending aren't sustainable, pending aren't sustainable, and that we could be headed toward a new financial crisis. Is there a risk that the U.S. would default on its debt? What would happen in this scenario?

What Happens When a Country Defaults on Its Debt?

Countries such as Ecuador, Argentina, Venezuela and Greece have defaulted on their debt in recent history. This decision plunged Argentina into a period of instability before the debt was successfully restructured.

Countries like Russia, Spain and Germany have defaulted on their debt in the past and have successfully recovered. The effects of defaulting vary from one country to another. Inflation and high unemployment have affected countries like Greece and Argentina, and borrowing has become temporarily difficult and expensive for almost all countries mentioned.

The Total US National Debt and The Debt Ceiling

In 1933, the Second Liberty Bond Act established an early version of the debt ceiling. The purpose of the debt ceiling is to put a cap on how much the government can borrow. Only Congress can raise the debt ceiling.

The debt ceiling has increased 10 times over the past 10 years, including four times in 2008 and 2009. The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" signed in July 2025 raised the U.S. debt ceiling by $5 trillion to $41.1 trillion. This represented an increase from the previous $36.1 trillion ceiling which had been reinstated in January 2025.

What would happen if Congress didn't raise the debt ceiling?

If the debt ceiling isn't raised, the U.S. could theoretically run out of money to pay back loans. However, there are other options the government would explore before defaulting. Government agencies could keep operating by borrowing money from retirement funds other than Social Security and Medicare.

The Federal Reserve Bank also has some funds that would be used in this scenario. Revenues from sources such as taxes would be used. The U.S. Treasury could also delay payments and issue notes with different terms.

It's likely that payments to federal employees and recipients of Social Security and Medicare would stop. Failing to raise the debt ceiling would have disastrous consequences on the economy. Demand for U.S. Treasury bond would significantly drop on the secondary market.

Yields would increase to make these bonds more attractive, which would result in higher interest rates for borrowing. Not raising the debt ceiling, delaying payments or changing payment terms would cause foreign investors to lose confidence in U.S. Treasury bonds.

This low demand could negatively impact the U.S. dollar.

Other Consequences of the Federal Debt

The U.S. defaulting on its debt is an unlikely scenario due to the existence of the debt ceiling and the appeal of U.S. bonds for foreign investors. However, there are other negative consequences tied to the current debt level and fiscal policies. As the federal debt keeps growing, the government has to spend more on payments and interests. This means that there is less money available for investments in the private sector and infrastructure. This could negatively impact wages, employment and innovation.

As the treasury keeps issuing more bonds, yields have to increase to make them appealing to investors. Because interest rates are tired to these yields, more bonds being issued means that the cost of borrowing will increase for consumers.

As the risks of a new financial crisis increase, investors will very likely lose confidence in the U.S. Treasury's ability to honor the bonds issued and might look for alternatives.

Take action

Reducing spending and increasing revenues should be priorities for the current administration. The U.S. Federal budget affects everyone. Up to Us Leadership Network offers three programs that enable college students to develop the advocacy, policy, and leadership skills necessary to effect meaningful change. Participating in any program unlocks access to the Network and its opportunities for career-focused connections, events, and resources. Students are invited to participate in multiple programs over the course of their undergraduate career.

Young people across America are getting educated about fiscal policy and making changes at their colleges and universities with Up to Us. Sign the pledge to let local representatives know that you are concerned about the nation’s fiscal future, or get involved by learning about how you can make a difference in your own community.

Part 3: 2025 Up to Us Civic Engagement Scholarship Spotlight: Community Empowerment & Advocacy

Sharon On — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 20:34:39 GMT

In our last installment of the Civic Engagement Scholarship Spotlight series, we’re highlighting students involved with advocacy. If you missed the last two blogs in this series, check out how scholars used data to drive public policy development in the first post and created civic impact through real-word legal experiences in the most recent post.

From understanding community needs and increasing voter engagement to advocating for environmental justice in schools, the scholars in the spotlight today are stepping into roles that enable them to make a tangible impact on communities. Whether it’s through civic engagement, union organizing, or community outreach, scholars are working to ensure that those who are often left out of the conversation have a seat at the table. We’ll be exploring how community empowerment and advocacy can create lasting change, one voice at a time.

Mahogony Jules (Bethune Cookman University, Campus Competition ‘24,’25, Leadership Bootcamp ‘24, ‘25)
Community Voice as Civic Power

This summer, Mahogony Jules interned with the Victory Global Academy, partnering with Black Votes Matter on a civic engagement initiative focused on listening to and learning from historically underserved communities across Central Florida.

Their mission is simple: "ask residents how they’re doing—and truly listen." Using a virtual platform, Mahogany reached out to over 300 residents with questions about their experiences with food, housing, and other forms of insecurity. She shares that “these conversations offered more than just data—they sparked dialogue, connection, and care.”

Through this outreach, Mahogany compiled their responses into a “community needs assessment that will inform future outreach and advocacy.” A key highlight was the "opportunity to directly connect individuals with real-time resources, such as housing and food assistance—reinforcing that civic engagement must be responsive, not just rhetorical."

She also had the opportunity of speaking with a Central Florida Lead Organizer for Black Voters Matter, who emphasized the importance of staying educated and aware of the issues people are voting for Mahogony was inspired and reminded that “ civic engagement is both a responsibility and a right—one that must be protected and expanded through awareness and action”

Finally, Mahogany reflects on her summer internship: “This experience has sharpened my commitment to advocacy through voice, strategy, and creativity. I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this movement and look forward to continuing the work.”

Alex Santiago (University of California, Santa Cruz, Leadership Bootcamp ‘24, ‘25)
AFSCME 3299

Recently, Alex Santiago completed their internship with AFSCME 3299 as a Student Organizing intern, where they gained firsthand experience in labor organizing and advocacy. They learned from seasoned union organizers, and their work centered on how to “ organize members and collaborate with different community stakeholders, from students to elected officials", in support of negotiations to improve wages and benefits for thousands of service workers.

For Alex, this work was deeply personal: “Having lived experience with family members who worked service jobs that were not union positions, I understood the need to ensure healthcare, housing support, and a living wage for our workers.” This understanding fueled their advocacy, and they quickly learned "the power of collective action and student-worker solidarity." The intern was able to educate over a dozen student groups and work alongside service workers in advocating for themselves.

Natalia Nava Bravo (Arizona State University, Campus Competition ‘24)
Arizona Sustainable Alliance

Natalia Nava Bravo interned at Arizona Sustainable Alliance this summer, where they support two hands-on sustainability programs transforming Arizona classrooms and communities. For their Urban Forestry Education Initiative, they documented events and helped train 40 professors on the power of trees, including a key insight on how tree shade can create "up to a 25 °F drop in Arizona’s harsh summer heat." They also managed logistics for a Vertical Farming Tower project, preparing 20 modular garden systems for elementary schools. Natalia learned that these simple, practical tips can spark real change, directly empowering teachers and students with the tools for a more sustainable future.

Their work during this internship serves as a powerful lesson in community action, education, and advocacy. The initiatives she contributed to represent a direct effort to tackle social inequality, improve quality of life, and enrich education. The work demonstrates how simple, practical tools can spark real change, empowering local communities to build a more sustainable future from the ground up.

Reflecting on their summer, Natalia shares a key lesson learned: “Sometimes, going back to the basics makes the biggest impact.”

And that concludes our Civic Engagement Scholarship Spotlight series for 2025! It has been an honor to showcase the incredible work that Up to Us Leadership Network scholars are doing in their communities. If you are interested in learning more about the Up to Us Campus Competition and applying for a Civic Engagement Scholarship, please visit https://www.itsuptous.org/get-involved/campus-competition.

Part 2: 2025 Civic Engagement Scholarship Spotlight: Civic Engagement through Real-World Legal & Policy Experiences

Sharon On — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 21:35:32 GMT

Part 2: 2025 Civic Engagement Scholarship Spotlight: Civic Engagement through Real-World Legal & Policy Experiences

2025 Up to Us Civic Engagement Scholarship Spotlight: Data-Driven Research for Public Policy Developmentitle Here...

Sharon On — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 21:21:49 GMT

2025 Up to Us Civic Engagement Scholarship Spotlight: Data-Driven Research for Public Policy Development

Igniting Change and Cultivating Impact: Celebrating the Up To Us Leadership Bootcamp Leaders

Sharon On — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 21:13:56 GMT

Igniting Change and Cultivating Impact: Celebrating the Up To Us Leadership Bootcamp Leaders