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Nick Down

Associate Director of External Affairs

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Nick collaborates closely with ACTA's Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President of Strategy to monitor emerging trends in higher education and public policy, and to develop appropriate strategic responses. He also supports the Trustee & Government Affairs department through trustee and policymaker communications, public outreach initiatives, and contributions to ACTA’s publications.

Prior to joining ACTA, Nick served on Capitol Hill as a Legislative Assistant to his hometown Congressman, followed by a role as an advocate for the tugboat, towboat, and barge industry. In 2025, he was appointed to the Virginia Advisory Committee of the bipartisan U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

Nick holds a Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University (2017) and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Rowan University (2012). In his free time, he enjoys bowling, reading, and spending time outdoors with his wife and their pets.



VIDEO
RECENT WORK
The ForumGeneral Education

America’s Sickness and Its Remedy 

The American body politic is sick, driven by hyper-partisanship and weakened by ignorance and anger. The root of this national disorder is civic illiteracy, a condition which, left unchecked, leaves swaths of the American public susceptible to misleading critiques that distort their understanding of our country’s history, system of government, and position in the world. The result is a widespread loss of trust in our nation’s civic and social institutions. 
The ForumTrustee Selection

Trustee Candidate Vetting Groups Are Dangerous for Higher Education Governance

Among the seemingly endless list of duties that fall upon state governments is the appointment of individuals to public college and university governing boards. To streamline the appointment process, many states have established vetting commissions to recommend candidates to the state legislature or governor for consideration. Typically, the legislature or governor will accept the commission’s […]
WHO WE ARE

Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives an intellectually rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.

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