Recent Announcements

When asked what young people can do to fix their government in the face of crippling gridlock, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger urged the crowd to look no further than the work of USC’s own students. The discussion took place as the USC Schwarzenegger Institute convened a symposium titled Government and Leadership: People Over Politics. The symposium featured two provocative conversations with advocates from across the political spectrum in support of a common goal: to fight political gridlock and make democracy work for the people.

Governor Schwarzenegger fought for political reforms that took the power away from the politicians and returned it to the people. When voters passed two reforms; Open Primary; and Redistricting, the hope was that this would put an end to gerrymandering, and lead to more competition and less political gridlock.

The USC Schwarzenegger Institute hosted an incredible conversation between Governor and USC Downey Professor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the well-known political commentator and host of MSNBC’s Hardball, Chris Matthews. The widely-admired USC Professor Kevin Starr moderated the event with a series of questions and comments that grew out of Mr. Mathews new book, Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked.

The USC Schwarzenegger Institute held a series of meetings in Washington D.C. with our nation's leaders to advocate continued support of comprehensive after-school programs. Several Members of Congress sought to divert the monies to their own favored programs, thereby threatening the funding for these important programs.