Regent University Celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America

July 2, 2026

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (July 2, 2026) — This year, Regent University celebrates the 250^th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, offering several initiatives designed to deepen public understanding of America’s founding principles, the faith of its founders, and the rich history being passed to the next generation.

“Carry the Torch: Igniting American Patriotism for the Next 250 Years”

On March 20, 2026, Regent University hosted “Carry the Torch: Igniting American Patriotism for the Next 250 Years,” a free one-day conference for educators from public, private, and homeschool settings. Held at The Founders Inn and Spa in Virginia Beach and live streamed on YouTube, the event drew prominent scholars from across the country, equipping teachers with rich content and classroom-ready strategies. Now, the full content of the “Carry the Torch” conference is available for all as a free online course through Regent University’s Center for Christian Thought & Action.

Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s American History and Civics Education Initiative, the conference featured lectures, breakout sessions, and an educator resource panel covering essential topics, including:

The principles of the Declaration of Independence
The religious liberty and Christian foundations shaping American freedom
The Declaration’s promise of equality and the founders’ vision of natural rights
The essential connection between economic liberty and self-governance
The adaptation of American constitutional government amid technological transformation

The online course, “Carry the Torch: Igniting Patriotism for the Next 250 Years,” brings the conference’s expert lectures and resources directly to teachers in any setting, at no cost, making it one of the most accessible and substantive civics education tools available as the nation marks its 250th year. This course is self-paced and is designed for lifelong learners, parents, students, educators, and anyone eager to understand America’s founding.

“The American Miracle: 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence”

Beginning in the fall of 2025 and continuing into the spring of 2026, Regent University’s Robertson School of Government launched “The American Miracle: 250 Years of the Declaration of Independence,” a dynamic five-part virtual event series hosted by Michele Bachmann, J.D., Dean of the Robertson School of Government. Held in Regent’s Library Auditorium and streamed online for audiences nationwide, the series brought together nationally recognized leaders, scholars, and historians to explore the nation’s miraculous founding, its enduring constitutional principles, and the role of faith in shaping American liberty.

Featured speakers included the Honorable Mark Meadows, former White House Chief of Staff; David and Tim Barton, Founders of WallBuilders; Col. John Eidsmoe, Constitutional Attorney and Senior Counsel for the Foundation for Moral Law; Paul Jehle, Ed.D., Executive Director of the Plymouth Rock Foundation; and Gregg L. Frazer, Ph.D., Dean of the John P. Stead School of Humanities.

“The Story of America: The Faith of Our Founders”

Also featured as a speaker in the “American Miracle”series was Mark David Hall, Ph.D., Professor of Politics at the Robertson School of Government. In January 2026, Hall was featured in “The Story of America: The Faith of Our Founders,” a video produced through a partnership between the White House’s Salute to America 250 Task Force and leading academic institutions.

Released on the White House website ahead of the 250th anniversary, the project examined the significant influence of the founding fathers’ Christian convictions. One of the nation’s foremost authorities on religion and America’s founding, Hall drew on decades of rigorous scholarship to demonstrate that faith was not incidental to the American experiment, but foundational to it.

Equipping the Next Generation of American Leaders

Regent’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary proudly extends beyond the classroom, as the university remains committed to educating and encouraging the next generation of principled leaders to honor the American founding.

In that spirit, Regent University’s Office of Advancement is marking the occasion by gifting supporters a commemorative ornament and pocket guide featuring America’s founding documents, along with an exclusive 250th anniversary sticker, as lasting reminders of what this generation has inherited and what it is called to pass on. To learn more, visit regent.edu/ornament250.

About Regent University

Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university, with nearly 14,000 students studying on its 100-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online worldwide. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study, including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University has been ranked the No. 1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for 14 years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2026) and the No. 2 Top Military Friendly^® School in the nation (Military Friendly^® Schools, 2024-2025).

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