July 2013
new John c. culver scholarship • Digital Media and strategy expansion • careers and internships • iop Alumni • spring Resident and Visiting fellows • spring John f. Kennedy Jr. forum events • new Millennials and politics poll • civic Health Report • spring photos • professional updates from iop on the Move
culVeR scHolARsHip iop announces new scholarship, named after longtime ally senator John c. culver, supporting students across the country pursuing graduate studies atinstitute Harvard of politics A Kennedy school.
Welcome
to tHe institute of politics Although we have left the frenetic atmosphere of the 2012 election cycle behind, 2013 has brought plenty of activity, excitement and inspirational programming to the IOP.
This semester, we created and implemented a new digital strategic plan to better promote public service work and generate more quality content for our website and other distribution channels. For example, our students formed a “Digital Brigade” to promote IOP content on social media – resulting in increased views and interactions among undergraduates. We also launched a new blog in January, creating a “go-to” space for fresh written and digital content from our Fellows, students and guests on top issues and events. As a result, we are reaching more people on and off campus than ever before. Another positive improvement was integrating our internships and career services programs, positioning the Institute for a better approach in helping our undergraduates to pursue careers in politics and government. In addition to organizing career events based on specific areas of interest, we are now better utilizing our vast network of Director’s Internship host organizations to facilitate post-graduation employment opportunities for our undergraduates.
CONNECT with the IOP Please visit us at www.iop. harvard.edu to learn more about IOP programming and to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter – sent on Fridays during the semester – featuring recent photos and information on upcoming IOP happenings.
Also, please follow us on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook at usernames HarvardIOP and JFKJrForum.
We were also pleased to create a new scholarship opportunity for students across the country interested in pursuing graduate studies at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) in public service, named after longtime IOP ally and former U.S. Senator John C. Culver. Beginning in the fall of 2014, the John C. Culver Institute of Politics Scholarship will be awarded annually to students active at the IOP or at National Campaign schools and provide full tuition for two years toward a graduate degree at HKS. Senator Culver’s invaluable counsel has improved our programming, ensured we achieve our mission and inspired countless students to consider public service careers for nearly four decades. We are very proud to offer this scholarship in his name. Our spring semester also featured well-attended and exciting Forums, fantastic and engaged Resident and Visiting Fellows and strong interest in our latest national poll exploring the political views of America’s 18- to 29- year-olds, the Millennial generation. We are enjoying working with our students and Harvard colleagues to inspire tomorrow’s generation to serve. I hope to see you this fall. Thanks again for your interest in the IOP.
Trey Grayson ’94
1 institute of politics
iop scholarship
neW scHolARsHip nAMeD AfteR JoHn culVeR In early May, the Institute of Politics announced a new scholarship opportunity for students across the country interested in pursuing graduate studies in public service. Beginning in 2014, the John C. Culver Institute of Politics Scholarship will be awarded annually and provide full tuition for two years toward a graduate degree at Harvard Kennedy School. The scholarship is named after John C. Culver, who has served on the IOP’s Senior Advisory Committee since 1975 – 14 years as Chairman – and now holds the committee post of Chair Emeritus. Culver also served as the Institute’s Interim Director from July 2010 until January 2011. Culver served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democratic Representative from Iowa’s second district, winning his first election in 1964, and served one term in the U.S. Senate from 1975 until 1981. A former Infantry Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, Culver is a graduate of both Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Culver was the recipient of the Lionel de Jersey Harvard post-graduate scholarship to Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. Culver was inducted into the Harvard Football Hall of Fame in 1978 and is the co-author of American Dreamer: The Life and Times of Henry A. Wallace. Eligible applicants will include students active at the IOP or in public service programming at other participating organizations within the Institute’s National Campaign for Political and Civic Engagement, a consortium of twenty-four colleges and universities around the country committed to creating more politically and civically engaged campuses.
It has been a privilege to serve for many years on the Senior Advisory Committee of Harvard’s Institute of Politics, established in 1966 as a living memorial to President Kennedy,” said Institute of Politics Senior Advisory Committee Chairman Emeritus John C. Culver. “I am honored to be associated with this IOP scholarship initiative to support and encourage public service. “It is fitting that this scholarship at Harvard Kennedy School bears the name of Senator John Culver, whose intelligence, integrity, and outstanding service to our nation are an inspiration,” said Institute of Politics Senior Advisory Committee Chair Caroline Kennedy. “Senator Culver’s vision, passion and energy have been invaluable to my family through the years, and especially in helping to create a vibrant living memorial to President Kennedy at the Institute of Politics. He is a role model for anyone seeking public service careers and we hope that Culver Scholars will be motivated by his extraordinary example in the years to come.” The John C. Culver Institute of Politics Scholarship application process will open in the spring of 2014. Selection will be based upon the candidate’s strong record of academic achievement, demonstrated commitment to politics and public service and proven leadership ability. institute of politics 2
In the fall of 2012, the Institute was proud to begin doing much more with technology and social media to achieve its mission of inspiring youth to consider careers in politics and public service. This digital marketing work included a complete build-out of the Institute’s Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social channels (at username @HarvardIOP) and using video – like three-question, three-minute “3 with IOP” interviews – to better leverage dozens of inspiring guests. In January, the IOP built upon these efforts and developed a digital communications plan and strategies to make its overall online communications and marketing efforts more robust. Implementing this strategic plan and responding to new analytics reports, the Institute greatly increased its reach and effectiveness on social channels and boosted website visits by 40% over the past year. The IOP was proud to have this work highlighted on the front page of the Harvard Crimson in February.
Digital comm iop eXpAnDs online stRAteGies In the spirit of John F. Kennedy, the “Educated Citizen” blog will be a place to encourage public service. As President Kennedy said in 1963 at Vanderbilt University...
The educated citizen has an obligation to serve the public. He may be a precinct worker or President. He may give his talents at the courthouse, the State house, the White House. He may be a civil servant or a Senator, a candidate or a campaign worker, a winner or a loser. But he must be a participant and not a spectator. The Institute’s new digital plan called for creation of a new blog, the “Educated Citizen” – named after President Kennedy’s iconic call for participation in public service – which has created a vibrant home for original written and digital content and a new space to highlight IOP people, students, events and research. The blog is already a top-three destination for IOP website pageviews and recording an average time spent on blog pages of nearly three minutes (2:46) – 87% higher than the rest of the IOP website. In addition, the Institute ramped up coordination this year with Harvard undergraduates to help aid digital communications efforts. The IOP created a new 30-person student group, the “Digital Brigade,” to help promote the Institute’s blog and video content on students’ own social channels and grow IOP visibility on campus via peer-to-peer marketing. The Institute’s most popular digital features have often starred students, including undergraduate-authored “Educated Citizen” pieces on politics (offering reactions to the 2013 State of the Union address), community service (describing student-led Hurricane Sandy relief efforts) or in marketing videos pitching the IOP to their peers and incoming freshmen. 3 institute of politics
[Social media] amplifies the ability to share my expertise and my experiences with a broader group of students
– Karen Hughes, Spring 2013 IOP Resident Fellow
munications Creating over 40 new “3 with IOP” video interviews (featuring guests like those above) this semester helped the Institute continue to grow its brand as “the place” for political discussion and promote messages that public service is important. In eight months, the Institute’s video interviews and other digital assets have attracted 225 new YouTube subscribers, 145,000 YouTube views and 40,000 views on Harvard’s iTunes University channel. The Institute’s December video compilation, “A Call to Serve,” featured nearly a dozen top IOP guests (including Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick) on the importance of public service and has attracted nearly 1000 views. These and other IOP interviews and videos – available at www.youtube.com/HarvardIOP – have been covered as feature material by a number of local and national media and have often been shared and repurposed by Harvard University and Harvard Kennedy School and other schools around campus.
institute of politics 4
This spring, the Institute integrated its popular and successful Internships and Career Services programs and added Career Services Coordinator Sadie Polen, which has helped create even more networks and opportunities that help accomplish the IOP’s mission of encouraging youth to consider working in politics and public service. The IOP was proud to see strong growth in application numbers and event attendance this year for all Internships and Career programming, as the Director’s Internship program, Summer Thesis Grant, Gov 2.0 Grant, and Summer Stipend program all achieved
record interest levels due to targeted outreach to campus groups and the strong endorsements of former participants. Increasingly, IOP Summer internship opportunities are also directly leading to employment opportunities in careers serving the public. Through weekly office hours and targeted outreach to IOP seniors and former IOP Director’s Interns, the Internships and Career Services office successfully assisted Harvard seniors with job placements this spring. Seniors and IOP alumni continue to utilize the connections and skills developed in their Institute internship experiences to help explore and secure jobs in politics and public service.
careers &
internships inspiRinG stuDents to puBlic seRVice cAReeRs The IOP also collaborated with several Harvard public service organizations and offices to offer a dozen events and office hours throughout the semester and create a January “Publicly Interested?” conference for undergraduates interested in exploring public interest careers after graduation. Hundreds of students gathered at the conference to hear from professionals and alumni across multiple fields of public service, including a keynote address by U.S. Representative Joe Kennedy (MA-4, D). Internships and Career Services also expanded its weekly “Career Roundtable” discussions, offering over twentyfive well-attended events featuring young, successful public service practitioners to our undergraduate students. The Institute is 5 institute of politics
confident that the Internships and Career Services office restructuring and improvements are positioning the IOP to make an even stronger impact on Harvard undergraduates.
GoV 2.0 WinneR: colleGe connect Understanding the important role technology and innovation play in all aspects of society, govern-
ment and public service today, the Institute has offered Gov 2.0 grant program funding for the third straight year. Made possible by a generous gift to the Institute, the initiative supports student entrepreneurial ventures relating to domestic politics or government aiming to reshape civic life. The IOP was pleased to select Harvard undergraduate Amy Jeffrey ’15 (at left) as the 2013 Gov 2.0 grant winner. Jeffrey will receive a $5,000 stipend to further develop her winning initiative College Connect, a website aiming to help public high school students navigate the confusing four-year college and financial aid application process.
Alumni scholarship
siRi uotilA ’10 nAMeD 2013 WinneR
As an undergraduate, Siri Uotila ’10 found a home at the Institute of Politics through the IOP’s Women’s Initiative in Leadership program, where she enjoyed engaging with successful female professionals on what it takes to make an impact in public service and the private sector. Siri also enjoyed participating in IOP Fellows’ study groups, where she “…found several inspirational (female) mentors – especially Maralee Schwartz, Teresa Vilmain, and Peggy Noonan – who demonstrated the wide range of ways in which one can serve.” Perhaps the most important IOP experience Siri enjoyed was working as a Summer 2009 Director’s Intern for Jane Cambell, Spring 2006 IOP Fellow and then Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA). The internship experience “…allowed me to understand governing firsthand and to develop a profound respect for all the dedicated, well-intentioned public servants working in our Congress,” she said.
I am deeply grateful to the IOP for its phenomenal support of my long-term goal of transforming the way U.S. healthcare is delivered, consumed, and paid for as an elected politician or an unelected policymaker. Since graduating from Harvard in 2010, Siri has worked for three years as a consultant for PA Consulting Group on life sciences and healthcare issues, a policy area where she feels she can make a difference. “Working as a pharmaceutical consultant has honed my interests and triggered a specific desire to reform the U.S. healthcare system to ensure universal access to cost-effective care that focuses on preserving health while minimizing the use of aggressive medical interventions,” she said. Siri is focused on the intersection between public policy and the private sector, and is excited to learn more about it as an incoming student at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) in the fall as she begins a three-year joint
MPP/MBA degree at HKS and Harvard Business School. She calls HKS “…the ideal training ground to prepare me for the leadership, innovation and policy challenges I will face.”
ing students into a life of politics, public service and leadership, the scholarship furthers that mission by providing assistance to IOP alumni to enhance their educational experience at HKS.
In recognition of her commitment to public service and improving the lives of others, the Institute is pleased to announce Siri Uotila has been named the Institute’s 2013 IOP Alumni Scholarship winner in support of her work toward a Master in Public Policy degree. The IOP Alumni Scholarship is a merit-based opportunity for students active as undergraduates with the Institute’s programming to receive financial support toward a graduate degree at HKS. As the Institute is dedicated to inspir-
Past recipients of the IOP’s Alumni Scholarship include Frankie Assaf ’10, Quinnie Lin ’08, Jay Lundy ’09, Meghan Haggerty ’06, Emily Nielson ’04 and Eli Rosenbaum ’05.
institute of politics 6
CHARLIE COOK political Analyst, editor and publisher, The Cook Political Report; columnist, National Journal magazine
KAREN HUGHES Worldwide Vice chair, BursonMarsteller; under secretary of state for public Diplomacy and public Affairs (2005-07) and counselor to president George W. Bush (2001-02)
STEVE KERRIGAN presidential inaugural committee chief executive officer and co-chair (2013) and chief of staff (2009); ceo, 2012 Democratic national convention committee
spring
ResiDent AnD VisitinG felloWs cAptiVA The IOP’s spring Fellows kept Harvard’s campus buzzing all semester long. Spring Fellows’ not-for-credit study groups covered interesting political and issue-based topics that appealed to students, faculty and the general public, including: a deep dive into the 2012 election results; the importance of China/U.S. relations; civil and civic engagement; social policy and political entrepreneurship; the art of political communications and the intersection of politics and policy and the future of the GOP. Spring study groups aimed to leverage the excitement about politics generated by the enormity of the 2012 election cycle – and explore what issues the American electorate will be focusing on now and into the future. Outside of their successful discussion sessions at the IOP, spring Fellows were frequently called upon as guest speakers at dozens of events throughout Harvard College, Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), other Harvard graduate schools and the entire university community. Fellows also were willing participants in the IOP’s Civics program, eager volunteers at Boston non-profit Cradles to Crayons, served as guest lecturers in HKS public policy classes and met with dozens of graduate and undergraduate student organizations. In addition, the Institute was proud to host three visiting fellows this spring. CNN Chief National Correspondent John King came to Harvard for several weeks throughout the spring semester and was a popular draw for his discussions on the evolving American electorate. Former U.S. Ambassador to China (2009-11) Jon Huntsman appeared at the IOP in early April and attracted a strong audience at any event in which he was featured. Later in the month, former U.S. Senator (1987-93) and U.S. Representative (1975-87) Tim Wirth – who served as a joint Visiting Fellow with the IOP and HKS’ Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs – captivated undergraduates on a number of key issues including safeguarding the environment. 7 institute of politics
JOHN MURRAY former Deputy chief of staff to u.s. House of Representatives Majority leader eric cantor; founder and president of the YG Action fund super pAc and the YG network, a centerright policy advocacy 501(c)4
BEV PERDUE former Governor (2009-13) and lieutenant Governor (2001-09) of north carolina
KEITH RICHBURG china correspondent, Beijing, china Bureau (2009-13), Bureau chief, new York Bureau (2007-09) and foreign editor (2005-07) The Washington Post
fellows
VAte HARVARD’s cAMpus
Just some of the Fellows’ popular guests appearing in weekly discussion groups included Kristen Soltis Anderson, Republican pollster and strategist; Jeff Bader, senior fellow, Brookings Institution (via Skype); Joel Benenson, lead pollster, Obama for America; Eric Cantor, majority leader, U.S. House of Representatives; Dean Cheng, research fellow, Heritage Foundation; Torie Clarke, former assistant secretary of defense for public affairs and member, IOP Senior Advisory Committee; Jennifer Duffy, senior editor, Cook Political Report; Eric Fehrnstrom, senior campaign advisor, Romney for President; Jim Glassman, founding executive director, George W. Bush Institute; Alan Khazei, co-founder, City Year and Fall 2006 IOP Resident Fellow; Barbara Lee, founder and president, Barbara Lee Family Foundation; Kevin McCarthy, majority whip, U.S. House of Representatives; Richard McGregor, author; Jonathan Martin, senior political reporter, POLITICO; Marty Meehan, former U.S. Representative from Massachusetts; Patrick O’Connor, congress reporter, Wall Street Journal; Jen O’Malley, deputy campaign manager, Obama for America; Maggie Omero, Democratic strategist; Sherry Rehman, Pakistan ambassador to the U.S.; Jim Rogers, CEO, Duke Energy; Michael Shields, chief of staff, Republican National Committee; Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. secretary of health and human services and Spring 2007 IOP Visiting Fellow; Shira Toeplitz, politics editor, Roll Call; and Jeff Zeleny, senior Washington correspondent, ABC News. Numerous Resident and Visiting Fellows also appeared in the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum throughout the semester: Karen Hughes and John Murray (“The Future of the Republican Party”); John King (“A Conversation with David Keene”), and Jon Huntsman and Keith Richburg (“China Rising” with former Austrailian prime minister Kevin Rudd). institute of politics 8
JfK Jr.
spRinG seMesteR eXploRes top DoMestic, inteR
politics After the buzz of the 2012 election cycle, current and former IOP Resident Fellows (Karen Hughes and John Murray, Spring 2013; Ron Christie, Fall 2011; Kerry Healey, Spring 2007) kicked off February John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum events with IOP Director Trey Grayson and CNN contributor Ana Navarro for a frank discussion on “The Future of the Republican Party” (see photo bottom right). U.S. House of Representatives majority leader Eric Cantor spoke to a capacity Mar. 11 Forum audience on top legislative challenges. Former speechwriting director for President Obama Jon Favreau addressed “The Language and Legacy of Presidential Speechwriting” on Mar. 27. April Forum events included the 2013 HKS Black Policy Conference keynote address by U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings (D-MD, 7) and a powerful discussion on the U.S. role in the world entitled “Presidential Leadership and the 9 institute of politics
Rise of American Power.” Boston MARAtHon tRAGeDY Just days after the tragic events at the Boston Marathon, the Forum convened “Boston Marathon Tragedy & Aftermath” on Apr. 24 featuring key players in the effort to keep citizens safe and informed. Harvard Kennedy School Dean David Ellwood moderated a moving discussion on the marathon attack, law enforcement’s coordinated response and strategy and the subsequent manhunt for the bombing suspects. Panelists included Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis (see above), Harvard Divinity School dean David Hempton, Boston Globe columnist, IOP alum ’91 and HKS lecturer Juliette Kayyem, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency director Kurt Schwartz and WBZ-TV anchor David Wade, who also appeared in a “3 with IOP” video interview.
The Boston Marathon is very personal to us...This is our city. These are our streets. I grew up here. – WBZ-TV News Anchor David Wade
forum
RnAtionAl AnD Hot-Button issues Hot-Button issues A Feb. 12 John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum screening and discussion on a new documentary, The House I Live In examined the U.S. war on drugs. IOP Spring 2013 Visiting Fellow and CNN chief national correspondent John King moderated a Feb. 20 conversation with National Rifle Association president and IOP Fall 1976 Resident Fellow David Keene on the current gun control debate (see photo previous page). New York Times op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof accepted the 2013 Goldsmith Career Award for Excellence in Journalism in the Forum on Mar. 5 and explored the current state of the field. On Apr. 2, Fall 2012 IOP Fellow John Carr helped guide an insightful look at “Pope Francis: Does a New Pope Mean Change?” Award-winning broadcast journalist Soledad O’Brien engaged with WGBH radio host and IOP Spring 2002 Resident Fellow Callie Crossley on May 3 on race in America (photo top right). foReiGn policY A Jan. 15 Forum event, “The Tipping Point: Elevating Women for Global Security,” was moderated by HKS Eleanor Roosevelt Lecturer of Public Policy Swanee Hunt and featured women activists from six countries. A late February Forum headlined by Fall 2010 IOP Fellow and former Haiti prime
minister Michele Pierre-Louis and actor Sean Penn discussed “Haiti Progress and Challenges Three Years Later” (see photo bottom right). In early April, former U.S. Ambassador to China and IOP Spring 2013 Visiting Fellow Jon Huntsman joined IOP Spring 2013 Resident Fellow Keith Richburg to look at China and its global economic role. Fall 2007 IOP Resident Fellow and HKS Jeanne Kirkpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs Meghan O’Sullivan moderated an Apr. 18 discussion: “A Decade in Iraq: Lessons and the Landscape Ahead.”
Apr. 8) and safeguarding the U.S. (“Turning the Corner: Strategic and Budgetary Choices for U.S. Defense,” Apr. 23).
inteRnAtionAl leADeRs Top international figures were frequent visitors this spring, including Pakistan Ambassador to the U.S. Sherry Rehman (Feb. 19), President of Senegal Macky Sall (Mar. 8 - photo at right) and former Mexican President and HKS Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow Felipe Calderon (April 25). DoMestic cHAllenGes The Forum also examined honoring those who serve our country (“Ask What You Can Do For America’s Veterans,” Mar. 11), public/private sector intersections (“Is America Working? What Business and Government Can Do,” institute of politics 10
spring Highlights spectAculAR speAKeRs AnD eVents MARK inspiRinG seMesteR
(Clockwise from top) Undergraduates get career advice from Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) students in a March Women’s Initiative in Leadership event; summer 2013 Director’s Interns gather with IOP Director Trey Grayson and staff in May; former Mexican President and HKS Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow Felipe Calderon talks with HKS Dean David Ellwood in the Forum on Apr. 25; former U.S. Ambassador to China and Spring 2013 Visiting Fellow Jon Huntsman joined Spring 2013 Resident Fellow Keith Richburg in an April Forum on China and its global role; New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof keynotes the 2013 Goldsmith Awards ceremony in the Forum on Mar. 5; SmartPower president Brian Keane spoke to students about environmental policy careers during a January career roundtable; Spring 2013 Resident Fellow Bev Purdue thanks her student liaisons during an April “Fellows Farewell” event. 11 institute of politics
(Row 1, L to R): Students from the University of Louisville’s McConnell Center, part of the Institute’s National Campaign for Political and Civic Engagement, pose with IOP Director Trey Grayson during the Campaign’s April conference; Pakistan’s Ambassador to the U.S. Sherry Rehman engages with undergraduates prior to her Feb. 19 Forum address; (Row 2, L to R): U.S. House of Representatives majority leader Eric Cantor addressed a packed Forum crowd on Mar. 11 on education reform and other pressing challenges for our nation; rising junior Tope Agabalogun describes his research project on the U.S. criminal justice system and minority communities during an early May IOP student policy group program presentation event for IOP leadership; Fall 2012 IOP Fellow John Carr helped guide an insightful look at: “Pope Francis: Does a New Pope Mean Change?” in an Apr. 2 Forum event that included HKS Thornton Bradshaw professor of public policy and management Mary Jo Bane (pictured) as well as HKS professor of the practice of religion and public life Father J. Bryan Hehir and Washington Post political reporter and Spring 2013 Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy Fellow Melinda Henneberger; (Row 3, L to R): IOP Harvard Public Opinion Project chair Eva Guidarini discussed results from their spring 2013 national poll of the political beliefs of the Millennial generation – 18to 29- year-olds – in a video interview with the New York Times, which exclusively released the data on Apr. 30; Spring 2013 Resident Fellow Steve Kerrigan poses with student liaisons for his 2013 study group “Civil and Civic Engagement: Building Better Communities”; U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings keynoted the 2013 HKS Black Policy Conference in the Forum on Apr. 5. institute of politics 12
iop survey
institute ReleAses suRVeY pRoJect’s 23rd poll The IOP survey team exclusively released results from their new spring poll with the New York Times, which featured the data in a video segment, an online story and feature in its April 30 print edition. The Institute also conducted a press briefing via conference call with members of the press – helping generate strong coverage throughout national media – and was pleased to see Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus prominently cite the poll’s data in his May 9 op-ed contribution to the popular public policy opinion website PolicyMic. “With the hard choices that all of us need to make, it is more important than ever that young Americans are able to connect with and trust elected officials and public institutions,” said IOP Director Trey Grayson. “To ensure progress, our leaders in government need to set a positive tone and work together to show young people that Washington can again deliver results.” “On issues ranging from their views of the President to immigration to gun control to the role government should play in improving our economy, both Democrats and Republicans are hardening their positions, while Independent-minded voters are tuning out,” said IOP Polling Director John Della Volpe. “Nearly half of all Americans under 30 believe that the politics of today are not able to meet the challenges our country is facing. We have been warned.”
At no time have young Democrats and Republicans been more divided on President Obama’s job performance: 85 percent of Democrats say they approve of the job the President is doing while only 11 percent of Republicans say the same. Obama Job Approval Steady, as Partisanship Among Millennials Deepens. Several months after a successful re-election campaign and during the initial phase of his second term, a slight majority (52%) of 18- to 29- year-olds in America in April said they approved of the job Barack Obama is doing as President (46%: disapprove) – the same approval percentage noted six months and also one year prior in IOP polling. While the top-line indicators of approval have not changed, a look below the surface revealed that 18- to 29- year-olds are now the most divided when it comes to the opinion of this President. Since November 2009, IOP polling has tracked how members 13 institute of politics
of each party rate President Obama’s job performance eight times, and the difference between the way that Democrats and Republicans view the President has never been more dramatic than in the last six months. For example, 85 percent of Democrats said they approved of his job performance, while only 11 percent of Republicans felt the same, resulting in a net difference of 74 percentage points. When the same question was asked one year ago, the difference between Democrats and Republicans was 63 percentage points; in November 2009 during the health care debate, the divide was 65 percentage points.
Nearly One-Half Favor Stricter Gun Control Laws, Approximately One-Third Believe Laws Should Be Kept As They Are. Recent tragedies in Newtown, CT and Aurora, CO have brought gun control to the forefront of public discourse. Although the IOP’s April poll showed a plurality of 18- to 29- year-olds supported greater restrictions on guns, the proportion is lower than that seen throughout the entire adult population. Nearly a majority, 49 percent, supported making gun laws more strict, while 35 percent believed gun laws should be kept as they are with 15 percent of 18- to 29- year-olds saying they prefer less strict gun laws. For comparison, a January 2013 CBS/ New York Times poll showed overall adult support for stricter gun laws at 54 percent, five percentage points higher than found in the IOP’s April poll. In addition, recent gun-related tragedies and resulting public discussion also do not appear to have strongly increased youth support for stricter gun laws. CBS/ New York Times polling found a greater increase (8%) in support for stricter gun control laws over the past two years (54%: Jan. 2013; 46%: Jan. 2011) than IOP polling found (3%) over the same time period (49%: Apr. 2013; 46%: Feb. 2011).
The KnowledgePanel® survey of 3,103 18- to 29- year-old U.S. citizens with a margin of error of +/– 1.7 percentage points (95% confidence level) was conducted with the Government and Academic Research team of GfK for the IOP between March 20 to April 8, 2013. Majority of Young Millennials Disapprove of the Way President Obama is Handling “Gun Violence.” Although a majority of Millennials said they approved of President Obama’s job performance overall (52%), less than half (42%) of America’s 18- to 29- year-olds said they approved of the way he is handling “gun violence” with a majority (56%) saying they disapproved. The only issue with a higher disapproval rating among the five tested in the IOP’s April poll was the President’s handling of the federal budget deficit (62%). The IOP’s latest poll was conducted before the spring failure of gun control legislation in the U.S. Senate, reflecting disapproval with President Obama’s proposals more than with legislative results in Congress. Millennials Split on View of the NRA; Nearly Onein-Five Own a Firearm. The IOP’s April poll showed America’s 18- to 29- year-olds have a mixed opinion of the National Rifle Association, a strong opponent of President Obama’s gun control proposals. 38% expressed either somewhat or very favorable (13% very favorable, 25% somewhat favorable) attitudes
toward the NRA, with equal numbers expressing unfavorable attitudes (20% somewhat unfavorable, 18% very unfavorable). Republicans in Congress see Slight Job Performance Improvement, Democrats Locked in Place. Among Millennials, the job performance ratings of Democrats in Congress over the past six months decreased within the margin of error from 41% (Oct. 2012) to 40% (Apr. 2013), while approval of Republicans in Congress increased four percentage points from 23% (Oct. 2012) to 27% (Apr. 2013) over the same time period. Disapproval ratings for Congress also remain largely unchanged from October 2012 polling: 58% of America’s 18- to 29- year-olds still said that they disapproved of the way that Democrats in Congress are doing their job (58%: Oct. 2012) and 71 percent said the same today about Republicans in Congress (72%: Oct. 2012). Complete results, are available – along with past surveys – online at www.iop.harvard.edu/survey. institute of politics 14
civic Health
neW iop RepoRt eXAMines MillenniAl ciVic enGAGeMent In early February, the Institute teamed up with the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC), The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University’s Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, and Mobilize.org to produce the Millennials Civic Health Index, a research product exploring the beliefs and political and civic involvement of America’s 18- to 29- year-olds.
After studying the political and civic beliefs of America’s young adults for twelve years, we know they care about their communities – and their country. Working to better understand and engage with 18- to 29- year-olds – the Millennial generation – is not only critical to ensuring a healthy democracy and citizenry, but also imperative for today’s political campaigns looking to appeal to this key demographic. – Institute of Politics Director Trey Grayson The study not only challenged commonly held beliefs about a generation of young Americans whose votes played a critical role in November’s presidential election, but also highlighted the diverse ways in which Millennials are taking action in their communities beyond the voting booth, online and offline, across different regions of the United States.
The report’s findings were covered by a number of media including C-SPAN, the Christian Science Monitor, and the Washington Examiner. The full study -- with numerous additional findings such as the civic consequences of education; ways, types and rates of civic engagement; and beliefs and opinions about pressing issues and elected leaders -- can all be found at http://www. ncoc.net/MillennialsCHI. 15 institute of politics
Key Findings • Millennials represent a potent civic and political force—comprising a national voting bloc of 21.3% of eligible voters who are playing a critical role in our democracy and driving community action nationwide; • Education is strongly connected to civic engagement—some indicators show a college graduate is four or five times more likely to engage as someone without a high school diploma; • Millennials are hard hit by the economic crisis—62.9% are currently working, of which 31.2% work on a part-time basis—with potential implications for civic engagement; • While engagement typically increases with age, 22to 25-year-olds have lower levels of social cohesion and volunteerism than older or younger peers. And, while education predicts most forms of engagement, young people without a college education are more likely to help their neighbors on a regular basis.
news Briefs
AluMni eXpeRts; spRinG “BReAK”; citiZensHip tutoRinG iop stuDent AluM lenDinG eXpeRtise in tRAGeDY Former IOP Student Advisory Committee member Juliette Kayyem ’91(at right) has been an engaged alum, frequently returning to the IOP over the years to inspire students and discuss her extensive work in counterterrorism, homeland security and emergency management during a number of IOP events and discussions. But an Apr. 24 John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum discussion on the tragic events during the 2013 Boston Marathon drew most heavily on her advanced security experience — gained while formerly serving as assistant secretary for intergovernmental affairs for the Department of Homeland Security under President Obama and a homeland security advisor for Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. Now a Boston Globe columnist and Harvard Kennedy School lecturer, Kayyem participated in the April panel discussion, authored several Globe columns and appeared on CNN on the aftermath and security implications of the bombing. iop oRGAniZes stuDent spRinG BReAK WoRK foR sAnDY Relief This spring, the Institute of Politics organized an Alternative Spring Break for students (at right) who wanted to spend their break giving back – and travel to New Jersey to volunteer with Helping Hands of New Jersey and rebuild homes devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Student volunteer Amy Weiss-Meyer ’15 said nonprofits like Helping Hands eager to make a difference are particularly inspiring, as they are a great illustration “...of how private citizens—politically oriented or not—can become true public servants just by doing.” citiZensHip tutoRinG pRoGRAM HelpinG otHeRs AcHieVe tHeiR DReAMs The Citizenship Tutoring Program, a joint project between the Institute of Politics and Harvard’s Bridge to Learning and Literacy facilitating the pairing of Harvard undergraduates with Harvard employees preparing for the U.S. Citizenship exam, honored the achievements of the newest 26 Harvard employees to receive their U.S. citizenship this spring. Harvard University President Drew Faust (above) joined Institute director Trey Grayson to pay tribute to the new citizens and their families at a touching April dinner event. The IOP also facilitated a rewarding spring dinner discussion for undergraduate tutors with U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) immigration policy expert, Emily Winterson. institute of politics 16
iop on the Move pRofessionAl upDAtes on iop AluMni Caroline Adler (SAC 2004)
is now serving as the deputy communications director for First Lady Michelle Obama.
Mark Beatty (SAC 2006)
is now a founding partner of 270 Strategies.
Danny Bicknell (SAC 2013)
Michael Camunez (SAC 1991) is serving as the assistant secretary of commerce for market access and compliance at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.
Andrei Cherny (SAC 1997)
has returned to Democracy: A Journal of Ideas as its President.
will be working as a researcher at Marstel-Day, LLC.
Tad Devine (Fall 2011 Fellow) is serving as a senior advisor to Boston, MA mayoral candidate Rob Consalvo.
Sophie Fry (SAC 2013)
will be joining Promontory, a risk management, regulatory and compliance consulting firm working within the financial services industry.
James Glassman (SAC 1969) is
serving as the founding executive director of the George W. Bush Institute.
Kenzie Bok (SAC 2011)
has completed her tenure as a Marshall scholar and is working to complete her PhD in history at Cambridge University.
Joe Green (SAC 2005) is the founder and president of the new political advocacy group FWD.us.
Alvin Bragg (SAC 1996)
is serving as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Sylvia Mathews Burwell (SAC 1987; Spring 2001 Visiting Fellow) is now serving
Callie Crossley (Spring 2002 Fellow)
as the director of the Office of Management and Budget.
has been named a recipient of the 2013 Wellesley College Alumnae Achievement Award.
Jane Campbell (Spring 2006 Fellow)
Christina Davis (SAC 1993)
is now working as the staff director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business.
is teaching as an assistant professor of politics and international relations at Princeton University.
Jyoti Jasrasaria (SAC 2012)
is now working as a confidential assistant to U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro.
17 institute of politics
Juliette Kayyem (SAC 1991)
received a finalist nomination for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in commentary for her work at the Boston Globe.
Steve Kerrigan (Spring 2013 Fellow) is running for Lt. Governor of Massachusetts.
Julia Konrad (SAC 2013)
will begin pursuit of a master’s degree in Education at Vanderbuilt University in the fall.
Jonathan Koppell (SAC 1993) is the director of the school of public affairs at Arizona State University.
Will Leiter (SAC 2010)
is now working as a digital strategist and researcher at FWD.us.
Jack Lew (SAC 1978)
is serving as the U.S. Treasury Secretary.
Michael Passante (SAC 2000)
is now working as the New Jersey state director of President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Task Force.
Margaret Spellings (Fall 2010 Fellow) has been named president of the George W. Bush Foundation effective September 3, 2013.
George Thampy (SAC 2010)
is serving as an associate with Concentric Equity Partners in Chicago, IL.
Keith Richburg (Spring 2013 Fellow)
will begin service as a lecturer in the council of the humanities and a Ferris professor of journalism at Princeton University in the Spring of 2014. Jim Leach (IOP Director 2007-08) is joining the University of Iowa faculty as a visiting law professor and the University’s chair in public affairs.
Ariella Roteburg (IOP 2013)
will be attending Cambridge University this fall focusing on international development studies.
Jenny Ye (SAC 2013) is now serving as a data news team producer for New York Public Radio (WNYC).
institute of politics 18
Director
trey Grayson
FIRST CLASS US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #375 NASHUA NH
Institute of Politics Staff Executive Director
catherine Mclaughlin Director of the Fellows & Study Groups Program
eric Andersen
John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum Assistant
Meredith Blake Staff Assistant
Kerri collins Website Communications Coordinator
Katherine Delaney Director of Polling
John Della Volpe John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum Director
carrie Devine
Director of Conferences & Special Projects
christian flynn
Director of Internships and Career Services
Amy Howell
Internships and Career Services Assistant
casey o’neill
John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum Coordinator
cathey park
Director of Communications
esten perez
Internships and Career Services Coordinator
sadie polen
Social Media Coordinator
Kellie Ryan
Director of National Youth Engagement
laura simolaris
Director of Finance
theresa Verbic
Email any member of the IOP at firstname_lastname@hks.harvard.edu
PHOTO CREDITS:
Jay Connor: page 12 (8) Tom Fitzsimmons: page 4 (bottom row, 1), page 9 (bottom two photos), page 10 (1, 4), page 12 (2, 4) Martha Stewart: cover, pages 1, 2, 7, 8, page 9 (top photo), page 11 (2, 4, 5), page 12 (1, 3, 7), page 16 (1), page 17, page 18 (2) Kristyn Ulanday: page 11 (3), page 12 (5) 19 institute of politics
www.iop.harvard.edu
Julie schroeder
The Institute of Politics Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government JFK Street Cambridge, MA
Executive Assistant to the Director