Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
was established in 1956 with an endowment from Florence Peshine Eagleton (1870–1953), and it focuses on state and national politics through education and public service.
Ruth Mandel
Ruth Mandel (née Blumenstock; August 29, 1938 – April 11, 2020), usually published as Ruth B. Mandel, was an American political scientist. She was the Director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University for more than 20 years, ...
served as director for over 20 years, before being succeeded in that role by John Farmer Jr. in September, 2019.
The institute is located at the Cook-Douglass Campus in
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
.
Background
Florence Peshine Eagleton was a suffragist and a founder of the New Jersey League of Women Voters. She advocated for increased access to higher education for women. She was one of the first women to serve as a trustee of
Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
. She left more than $1,000,000 in her will to establish the Wells Phillips Eagleton and Florence Peshine Eagleton Foundation, which became the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. Eagleton directed that her support be applied:
... for the advancement of learning in the field of practical political affairs and government othat a knowledge of the meaning of democracy may be increased through the education of young women and men in democratic government. ... It is my settled conviction that the cultivation of civic responsibility and leadership among the American people in the field of practical political affairs is of vital and increasing importance to our state and nation ... I make this gift especially for the development of and education for responsible leadership in civic and governmental affairs and the solution of their political problems.
Centers and program
The Eagleton Institute of Politics has several centers and programs:
* The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) aims to promote greater knowledge and understanding about women's participation in politics and government and to enhance women's influence and leadership in public life.
* The Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, established in 1971, conducts several statewide public opinion surveys each year and contracts with government agencies and non-profit organizations for contract polling work.
* The Center on the American Governor seeks to promote research and discussion on the role of state governors in the United States. The center is building an extensive virtual archive and sponsors a range of academic activities and public forums on topics and issues relating to the office of governor across the country as well as the administrations of selected holders of the office in New Jersey and other states.
* The Center for Youth Political Participation (CYPP), through research, public service, and educational programs, is dedicated to exploring civic education at the high school level and political participation among young adults. CYPP initiatives include RU Ready RU Voting, State House Express, the Young Elected Leaders Project, and the Darien Civic Engagement Project
Other Eagleton programs and initiatives include:
* Clifford P. Case Professorship of Public Affairs — established by the university's board of governors in 1980 and named in honor of
Clifford P. Case
Clifford Philip Case Jr. (April 16, 1904March 5, 1982), was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a U.S. Representative (1945–1953) and a U.S. Senator (1955–1979) from New Jersey. He is currently ...
, longtime U.S. senator from New Jersey. The holder of the professional typically visits one of Rutgers' three campuses for a few days each year. Past holders have included
George J. Mitchell
George John Mitchell Jr. (born August 20, 1933) is an American politician, diplomat, and lawyer. A leading member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States senator from Maine from 1980 to 1995, and as Senate Majority Leader from ...
,
Olympia Snowe
Olympia Jean Snowe (; born February 21, 1947) is an American businesswoman and politician who was a United States Senator from Maine from 1995 to 2013. Snowe, a member of the Republican Party, became known for her ability to influence the outco ...
Arthur John Holland
Arthur John Holland (October 24, 1918 – November 9, 1989) was Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey for twenty-six years and president of the United States Conference of Mayors.
Biography
He was born in Trenton, New Jersey on October 24, 1918.
He was r ...
, longtime mayor of Trenton. The program organizes an annual lecture at the university as well as workshop at the New Jersey League of Municipalities'
Atlantic City
Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.
conference. The program also awards a stipend "to support a student undertaking a project designed to promote ethics in government."Centers/Programs: Arthur J. Holland Program on Ethics in Government Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Eagleton staff
* John Farmer Jr. – Director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics, Director of the Miller Center for Community Protection and Resilience, Former
New Jersey Attorney General
The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, and term limit ...
* John Weingart – Associate Director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics and author o ''Waste is a Terrible Thing to Mind'' * Elizabeth Matto – Director of the Center for Youth Political Participation
* Debbie Walsh – Director, Center for American Women and Politics
* Ashley Koning – Director, Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling
* Michael Soga – Coordinator, Building Services