Hood College to Host Inaugural Talk in Frederick CivicCon Series

Hood College is proud to host the inaugural edition of Frederick CivicCon, an event which aims to get members of the Frederick community engaged in civic conversations and raise awareness of local government operations. CivicCon will be held in the Hodson Auditorium in Rosenstock Hall at 6:30 p.m. on September 17, 2025. 

 

The schedule for CivicCon includes a talk from Edward T. McMahon titled "Frederick’s Future Growth by Default or Design." McMahon held the Charles E. Fraser Chair on Sustainable Development at the Urban Land Institute in Washington, D.C. for two decades. He is nationally known as an inspiring and thought-provoking speaker and a leading authority on topics related to sustainable development, land conservation, smart growth, and historic preservation. McMahon was also the Chair of Main Street America for nine years. Before that, he taught law and public policy at Georgetown University Law Center, and served in the U.S. Army, both at home and abroad.

 

The CivicCon concept is based on a similar program which saw success in Pensacola, Florida. CivicCon is based on the idea that great cities begin with great dialogue, encouraging the community to strive for resiliency and an affordable place where "the good stuff" is available to all. CivivCon works to make sure local elected officials understand the importance of transparency with community members and the power of government encouraging and embracing civic engagement by informed citizens. 

 

CivicCon invites national experts, such as McMahon and many others, to their free speaker series that explores what "great" looks like, shares best practices on how others have overcome challenges in their community, and creates organizational opportunities for civic-minded individuals and groups to work together to make like better for others.

 

Following Frederick CivicCon’s inaugural talk from McMahon on September 17, Hood will host Rich Harwood on November 11 at 6:30 p.m. for a talk titled, "The New Civic Path: Restoring our Belief in One Another and Our Nation." Harwood is the president and founder of the Harwood Institute and author of the “New Civic Path.”