It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting General Davidson Monument Area in Davidson, NC gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Davidson, NC is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“I cannot say enough good things about this company and the caregivers they provided after my mom's recent accident and stay in a rehab facility. The staff were constantly in communication with us keeping us abreast of any little or big updates. Their attitudes were always helpful and they seemed to genuinely care. The caregivers they sent to sit with and take care of mom were EXCELLENT. I'm not sure how many different caregivers she had over the few weeks of her stay but there wasn't a single one that wasn't kind and extremely helpful. It took a tremendous load off of everyone in our family knowing that she was being well cared for when we couldn't be there. Thank you to Brandi, Joanne, Gina, and anyone I'm missing for everything you all did for us from the beginning of the process all the way to my mom's release today. Hopefully, we won't need your services again, but if we do, I know who I will be calling!”
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Beaty Park in Davidson, NC with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Kindred or visit Davidson County Historical Museum, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Davidson, NC, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Davidson, NC understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Davidson, NC 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
GAME NOTES (PDF) | SCHEDULE PAGE (LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO, AUDIO) MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State football remains on the road this weekend when the Eagles head to Davidson, N.C., to face the Wildcats. Kick-off at Davidson College Stadium will be 1 p.m. ET.The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network with WIVY-96.3 FM serving as flagship station. Chuck Mraz and Jason Blanton provide the radio call. Fans can also hear it on MSUEagles.com, WGOH-100.9 FM/1370 AM, and WMST-106.9 FM/1150 AM. The game will strea...
GAME NOTES (PDF) | SCHEDULE PAGE (LIVE STATS, LIVE VIDEO, AUDIO) MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State football remains on the road this weekend when the Eagles head to Davidson, N.C., to face the Wildcats. Kick-off at Davidson College Stadium will be 1 p.m. ET.
The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network with WIVY-96.3 FM serving as flagship station. Chuck Mraz and Jason Blanton provide the radio call. Fans can also hear it on MSUEagles.com, WGOH-100.9 FM/1370 AM, and WMST-106.9 FM/1150 AM. The game will stream live on YouTube this weekend.
Morehead State leads the all-time series with Davidson, 16-11, but the momentum had swung in the Wildcats' favor ... until last season. MSU upended Davidson 28-24 in Morehead, thanks to a go-ahead touchdown with 1:06 remaining. MSU scored 15 fourth quarter points to erase a 24-13 deficit. MSU will look for its first win in Davidson's new(er) stadium. The Eagles' last win at DC came in 2018 (35-28) at Richardson Stadium. MSU's lone game in the new facility was a setback in 2024.
The Wildcats fell 38-21 to Presbyterian last weekend and are sitting at 0-3 in the PFL and 2-5 overall.
THE SERIES Record vs. Davidson: 16-11 First Meeting: 9/2/99 MSU won 40-0 at MSU Last Meeting: 11/1/25 MSU won 28-24 at MSU Streak: MSU, W1 Eagles' Record in Morehead: 11-4 Eagles' Record in Davidson, N.C.: 5-7 Neutral Record: 0-0
GAME NOTES • Morehead State ranks No. 2 in the FCS in defensive touchdowns with two.
• The Eagles rank 16th in the FCS in fewest penalties (29) and penalties per game (4.83). Prior to the Dayton game, MSU had been flagged for only nine penalties in the previous three games but was caught for eight against the Flyers.
• Morehead State's aerial game ranks seventh among all FCS schools in passing yards per completion. MSU averages 14.6 yards per completion.
• Bryce Patterson made his first start of the season at QB against Dayton and responded with 350 yards and a TD, while also rushing for two TDs. Patterson's most notable game of his career actually came against Davidson as a freshman in 2023. Making an emergency start, Patterson completed 10 of 16 passes for 240 yards and SIX touchdowns as the Eagles effectively prevented the Wildcats from clinching the PFL title in a 47-17 win.
• Bryce Patterson's 83-yard pass to Cannon Dinger at Dayton set up MSU's first TD and was the longest passing play since Nate Garnett, Jr., caught an 88-yard touchdown at Davidson in 2024.
• Defensive back Quinton Griffin has blocked a punt and a field goal this year and ranks tied for first (with five other players) in the FCS for blocked kicks.
• Fourth-year punter Ashton Adams burst onto the scene as the primary punter after not kicking a single punt in his first three seasons and the first two games of 2026. He is averaging 45.1 yards per punt on 23 boots. In the three games he's kicked, he has averaged 40+ every game, including his debut when he was the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week after averaging 50+ at Austin Peay. He has seven punts of 50+ yards.
• MSU's 68-point first half outburst against KCU was the program and PFL record for points in a half and came within five of tying the all-time FCS (I-AA) record of 73 set by Montana State in 1985. MSU also scored 75 points, which ranks third in program history for points in a game (104, 76 [twice], 75). The last time MSU scored 40+ points in consecutive games was 2018 (48 vs. Mt. St. Joseph and 40 vs. No. 23 Austin Peay). The 41 points in the second quarter also set a program standard for points in a quarter.
• Sophomore kicker Jordan Price still carries a perfect PAT sheet into his second year now. He was a perfect 30-of-30 on PAT kicks in his first college season and is 16-of-16 this season.
• Morehead State's 11 touchdowns scored against KCU tied the program's modern-era record of 11 set in 2012 against Valparaiso. MSU's seven passing TDs also tied the all-time MSU record for TDs through the air in a game.
• When Isaiah Watts and Sidney Webb both returned interceptions for TDs vs. KCU, it marked the first time in program history the Eagle defense recorded two "pick 6s" in the same game.
• MSU's two longest rushes this year have both been by quarterbacks. David Parsons had a 32-yard burst against Kentucky Christian, while Bryce Patterson equaled that distance in the fourth quarter versus Valparaiso.
• Sidney Webb had 25 total tackles in the last two games, including a career high 14 at Dayton last week. Webb now leads the defense with 40 total tackle
The popular Davidson College student rock band Fool’s Errand recently recorded their debut EP in Athens, Georgia. Learn how interdisciplinary collaboration, funding from the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and alumni mentorship brought their music from campus to the studio. About the AuthorNikola Cope '28 (he/him) is a double major in economics and psychology from Athens, Georgia. On campus, he is involved with The Legacy Project and served as a student consultant at The Hurt Hub at D...
The popular Davidson College student rock band Fool’s Errand recently recorded their debut EP in Athens, Georgia. Learn how interdisciplinary collaboration, funding from the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and alumni mentorship brought their music from campus to the studio.
Nikola Cope '28 (he/him) is a double major in economics and psychology from Athens, Georgia. On campus, he is involved with The Legacy Project and served as a student consultant at The Hurt Hub at Davidson College, our center for innovation and entrepreneurship. He is also a QuestBridge Scholar.
"I chose Davidson because of the possibilities it inspired me to imagine. Halfway through my time here, I can confidently say that Davidson holds a vast, New York-sized universe of possibilities within just 650 acres. I do what I do now to honor why Davidson picked someone like me: a student who was matched to this incredible school."
I love Davidson deeply, and I love my hometown just as much.
At its core, my idea evolved from imagining how these two loves of mine could weave together. I first conceived of this project during my freshman year, when I set out to get the band into an Athens studio to record an album. After more than a year and a half of setbacks, I truly came to understand the Hurt Hub at Davidson’s motto: "Failure is Not Final." Through that journey, remarkable people from inside and outside the Davidson community made something incredible happen.
I hope you'll read Ezra Minard's ('28) piece to learn about this journey; he's a real writer and my friend, and he tells this story far better than I could. Listen to our EP, Final Errand, too. Or do both at once, as any Davidson student would.
The Davidson community stretches out far beyond its campus like a rubber band pulled wider than necessary to only then snuggly pull people and ideas together in their most awesome configuration.
Ezra Minard '28
DAVIDSON, N.C. (NCN News) – We now know some of U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis’ plans after he leaves office.Tillis will be among those participating as Leaders-in-Residence at Davidson College’s D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good.The Martin Institute will welcome several influential national figures as leaders-in-residence in the spring semester and beyond: former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, longtime North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, and President of the Arab American Instit...
DAVIDSON, N.C. (NCN News) – We now know some of U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis’ plans after he leaves office.
Tillis will be among those participating as Leaders-in-Residence at Davidson College’s D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good.
The Martin Institute will welcome several influential national figures as leaders-in-residence in the spring semester and beyond: former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, longtime North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, and President of the Arab American Institute James Zogby. The leaders will meet with students and faculty, visit classes, and participate in public talks and events.
“We created the Martin Institute to advance the civic purpose that Davidson College, our students and our alums always have pursued — lives of leadership and service,” Davidson College President Doug Hicks ’90 said.
Rice served as both U.N. ambassador and national security adviser to President Barack Obama and as director of President Joe Biden’s domestic policy council.
Tillis, who is not seeking re-election, is finishing his second term representing North Carolina in the U.S. Senate, following eight years in the N.C. House of Representatives, the last four as speaker.
Zogby is President of the Arab American Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based policy organization focused on organizing and supporting the Arab-American community to advance the causes of democracy, civil rights and international peace.
The timeframe for the Martin Institute’s leaders-in-residence will vary based on their professional and service obligations. Rice will be in full-time residence for the second week of classes in January 2027. Tillis, who lives in the Lake Norman area, and Zogby will make a series of campus visits over the coming year. They will have significant engagement with students outside of the classroom during their residencies.
“These leaders-in-residence bring a diversity of thought and experience in some of the greatest venues and most consequential moments in history to Davidson. Our students will learn from their wisdom and will work collaboratively with them on projects that will make a difference in the world,” said Chris Marsicano, Humphries Director of the Institute and associate professor and chair of Educational Studies.
These three figures will join current leader-in-residence Bob McKillop, former Davidson College men’s basketball coach and member of the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame, who mentors students and speaks on ethics and leadership.
DAVIDSON – Retiring U.S. Senator Thom Tillis from Cornelius is among the influential national figures poised to serve as Leaders-in-Residence at Davidson College’s D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good.Tillis, who has opted not to seek a third six-year term in the Senate, will participate in the new Davidson program along with former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and President of the Arab American Institute James Zogby.Through program activities, the leaders will meet with student...
DAVIDSON – Retiring U.S. Senator Thom Tillis from Cornelius is among the influential national figures poised to serve as Leaders-in-Residence at Davidson College’s D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good.
Tillis, who has opted not to seek a third six-year term in the Senate, will participate in the new Davidson program along with former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and President of the Arab American Institute James Zogby.
Through program activities, the leaders will meet with students and faculty, visit classes and participate in public talks and events.
“We created the Martin Institute to advance the civic purpose that Davidson College, our students and our alums always have pursued — lives of leadership and service,” Davidson College President Doug Hicks said.
Tillis, whose political career began as a Cornelius commissioner, is stepping down from the Senate this year. He earned the Senate seat representing North Carolina after eight years in the N.C. House of Representatives – the final four as speaker.
Rice served as both U.N. ambassador and national security adviser to President Barack Obama and as director of President Joe Biden’s domestic policy council.
Zogby is president of the Washington, D.C.-based policy organization focused on organizing and supporting the Arab-American community to advance the causes of democracy, civil rights and international peace.
The timeframe for the Martin Institute’s leaders-in-residence will vary based on their professional and service obligations. Rice will be in full-time residence for the second week of classes in January 2027. Tillis and Zogby will make campus visits and participate in engagement sessions with students outside of the classroom.
“These leaders-in-residence bring a diversity of thought and experience in some of the greatest venues and most consequential moments in history to Davidson,” said Chris Marsicano, Humphries Director of the Martin Institute and associate professor and chair of Education Studies at Davidson. “Our students will learn from their wisdom and will work collaboratively with them on projects that will make a difference in the world.” Tillis, Rice and Zogby will join current leader-in-residence Bob McKillop, former Davidson College men’s basketball coach and member of the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame, who mentors students and speaks on ethics and leadership.
The leaders-in-residence are familiar with Davidson. Zogby, a parent of two Davidson alums, served as the James K. Batten Professor at the college in Spring 2003. In February 2020, Rice visited classrooms and participated in a moderated discussion. Last October, Tillis and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar visited and talked to Hicks about overcoming political polarization.
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They belonged to the first cohort of the Deliberative Citizenship Network, a new national initiative led by Davidson and funded by a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The network will operate out of Davidson’s D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good. Over the next four years, the DCN will expand to as many as 100 colleges and universities working to strengthen civil discourse, civic learning and democratic engagement on their campuses.The group spanned the nation and higher education, from ma...
They belonged to the first cohort of the Deliberative Citizenship Network, a new national initiative led by Davidson and funded by a $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The network will operate out of Davidson’s D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good. Over the next four years, the DCN will expand to as many as 100 colleges and universities working to strengthen civil discourse, civic learning and democratic engagement on their campuses.
The group spanned the nation and higher education, from major research universities, such as the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Arkansas, to historically Black Delaware State University and Maryland’s Carroll Community College. Small liberal arts colleges, such as Washington and Lee, are working alongside large private universities, such as Tufts and DePaul.
Their classrooms differ in size and student profile but present the same challenge: helping college students learn to engage with one another in an era of polarization and fragmentation.
“In a society of people of many backgrounds and beliefs, it seems far easier to reinforce divisions instead of building areas of shared agreement,” Davidson President Doug Hicks ’90 said in his opening remarks. “The Deliberative Citizenship Network is bringing faculty members and colleges and universities together to help students develop capacities to contribute to the public good.”
Graham Bullock organized and facilitated the two-day deliberative pedagogy workshop with support from several new grant-funded staff members. Bullock is a political science professor and founding director of the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative (DCI), on which the national network is based. Bullock has led the DCI at Davidson over the past six years and wrote the application that secured the federal grant for the network.
The sessions at Davidson aimed to help professors integrate deliberation into their courses so students can verbally and productively wrestle with challenging material and contentious topics. Deliberative teaching methods help students deepen their understanding of course topics by listening curiously, speaking candidly, weighing competing arguments and evidence, and reasoning through difficult questions with others.
Early on the first day, Bullock split the faculty into small groups, each assigned to adopt and defend a different model of deliberation — deliberation as philosophical argument, participatory decision-making, psychological process or pedagogical approach — before reorganizing into mixed groups for rapid-fire rounds of disagreement. The exercise was designed to help faculty both examine the different models and learn how to design a real exchange of ideas in the few minutes that even a packed syllabus can include.
“Building courses around meaningful disagreement can enliven learning and allow faculty to pull public issues into the classroom,” Bullock told the attendees. “It also encourages students to use these skills in their lives — modeling the listening, the ethical arguments and reasoning that empowers them to be engaged citizens after they graduate.”
Those skills are exactly what drew Sarah Star, a philosophy and humanities professor at Carroll Community College, to the DCN.
“My students are anxious. They’re hesitant to embrace their roles in society,” she said. “My main goal is to prepare them to be citizens. I want to help them think about who they are, what they value and where they can contribute to leaving the world a better place than they found it.
“I’m hopeful the DCN framework will help them better understand the systems of citizenship and learn how to more effectively communicate with one another.”
These conversations aren't confined to classes that touch on the obviously political. Some of the hardest ones show up in fields so technical that most people can't even follow the disagreement, let alone take a side.
“There’s still a lot we don’t understand about quantum mechanics,” said Heidi Hendrickson, a chemistry professor at Pennsylvania’s Lafayette College. “And it turns out many physicists disagree about how we describe the quantum world at a philosophical level.”
She plans to incorporate deliberation into her first-year seminar: “Quantum Revolutions, Past and Present.”
“Students can come in with the notion that scientific theories are more like doctrines,” she said. “But we are still figuring out the science. We are on the cusp of a scientific revolution, and I want students to realize they have the capability to make the next big discovery.”
The workshop was just the beginning. The faculty in the room will continue learning together through the year ahead, meeting virtually and sharing lessons learned as they take the new techniques home. As the DCN grows toward its goal of 100 campuses, this first cohort will adapt the model that Bullock and the DCI have pioneered to their own campuses, helping extend civil discourse at colleges across the country.
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