USC Political Union

09/18/2026

Join the USC Center for the Political Future on September 18 from 10AM to 11AM on Zoom for a conversation about presidents, civility, and the state of American political discourse. How have presidents shaped the tone of our national dialogue? Can political leaders disagree without deepening division? What lessons can past presidencies offer for restoring respect and productive debate in public life? Join Frederick J. Ryan Jr., Chairman of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute and former Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan, and Bob Shrum, Director of the USC Center for the Political Future and veteran Democratic political strategist, for a bipartisan conversation about presidential leadership and the role of civility in American democracy.

Featuring:
- Fred Ryan: Director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation's Center on Civility and Democracy, Chairman of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, Co-Founder of Politico, former Chief of Staff to President Ronald Reagan.
- Bob Shrum: Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future; Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics; Author of “Concessions of a Serial Campaigner”

REGISTER HERE: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_UGa-76dsQUiiV9nwaX9TYA #/registration

09/16/2026

Join the USC Center for the Political Future on Wednesday, September 16 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the USC Ronald Tutor Campus Center, The Forum (TCC 450) for a conversation about the state of American education. How did Mississippi surpass California in educational outcomes? Do charter schools and voucher programs undermine public instruction? Are teacher unions part of the problem or part of the solution to better education in America? Join top experts in this lively discussion about which reforms are working and which ones are not.

Panelists Include:
- Bob Shrum (Moderator): Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future; Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics; Author of Concessions of a Serial Campaigner
- Amy McIntosh: Former Assistant Secretary of Education in the Obama Administration; Fall 2026 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
- Pedro Noguera: Dean, USC Rossier School of Education
- Marshall Tuck: CEO, EdVoice; Former CEO, Partnership for Los Angeles Schools; Former President, Green Dot Public Schools

We are immensely grateful to Sue and Jeff White for launching this nonpartisan dialogue series at USC.

IN PERSON REGISTRATION LINK: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/education-reform-whats-working-and-whats-not-tickets-1998397973133?aff=oddtdtcreator

REGISTER FOR THE ZOOM WEBINAR: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_JyaJha1URPiqHXLWcD1SEw

09/08/2026

Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy welcome the Fall 2026 CPF Fellows to USC for a virtual discussion of the current state of politics today. How's Trump doing? What about the Democrats? What do you need to know ahead of the 2026 Midterms?

Join us on Zoom on Tuesday, September 8 from 12PM to 1PM PT for an insightful discussion of the politics of today. The conversation will also explore the Fellows’ study groups and their wide-ranging careers in politics and public service.

CPF Fellows are prominent political professionals who are invited by CPF to lead study groups for USC students. They hold office hours, host lunchtime discussions, bring in guest speakers, and participate in high-profile events and conferences throughout the year. These resident Fellows expose students to a wide array of perspectives, broadening and challenging their understanding of government while strengthening civil dialogue on campus and within the community. We are proud to announce our full slate of Fall 2026 fellows:

- Mike Donilon: Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden
- Julianna Goldman: Former White House Correspondent, Bloomberg & CBS News
- Mike Madrid: Former Political Director, California Republican Party; Co-Founder, The Lincoln Project
- Amy McIntosh: Former Assistant Secretary of Education in the Obama Administration
- Claudine Schneider: Former U.S. Representative (R-Rhode Island)
- Jeffrey Toobin: Contributing Opinion Writer, The New York Times; Bestselling Author of The Nine and The Run of His Life (adapted into FX's The People v. O.J. Simpson)

We encourage USC students to apply to CPF Study Groups to develop friendships and mentorships with some of America's leading political voices.

REGISTER HERE: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BdDZscjCQBy-yWi7hqObbw

08/26/2026

Join the USC Center for the Political Future on Wednesday, August 26 from 11:30AM to 1PM for a discussion entitled: What Would the Founders Say About America 250? A Conversation with Dr. Jane Kamensky of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Learn what America’s Founders might make of the nation at its 250th anniversary.

On July 4, 2026, the United States marked 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The milestone arrived amid sharp political divisions over the country’s past, present, and future. Drawing on her scholarship and her work at Monticello, Dr. Kamensky will explore what the Founders’ own debates about the unfinished project of American democracy can tell us about this moment - and the questions Americans still seek to answer as the country looks toward its next 250 years.

Panelists include:
- Bob Shrum (Remarks): Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future; Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics; Author of "Concessions of a Serial Campaigner"
- Jane Kamensky: President and CEO, Thomas Jefferson Foundation; Trumbull Professor of American History Emerita, Harvard University
- Bill Deverell (Moderator): Divisional Dean for the Social Sciences, USC Dornsife; Professor of History, Spatial Sciences and Environmental Studies; Founding Director, Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West

Run of Show:
- 11:30AM - 12:00PM ... Lunch
- 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM … Moderated Discussion
- 12:45 PM - 1:00 PM … Audience Questions

IN-PERSON REGISTRATION: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/whawhat-would-the-founders-say-about-america-250-with-dr-jane-kamensky-tickets-1998284976156?aff=oddtdtcreator

LIVESTREAM REGISTRATION: https://usc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MC6Eo6mqTqiZ9HGUtFZRjA

02/17/2021

Watch this recap to see what you missed in USC Center for the Political Future’s discussion of the 74 Million Voter Question!

Donald Trump received the second-highest number of votes of any presidential candidate in history. Why? Who are his supporters? How did he build the second-l...

01/27/2021

Check out this awesome event!

Donald Trump received the second highest number of votes of any presidential candidate in history. Why? Who are his supporters? How did he build the second largest voting bloc in US election history? Join CPF and a panel of experts to explore these and related issues on Friday, February 12 at 12PM PST.

RSVP: https://buff.ly/3a4Gnkl
Details: https://buff.ly/3po07Wu

USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences - USC POIR - Unruh Associates - Vote SC - USC Political Student Assembly - USC Alumni Association - University of Southern California

09/16/2020

As the 2020 election nears, America's youngest generation, known as Generation Z, is energized for political change. Born after 1996––with the oldest among t...