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Latest Texas Trends Reports Survey Voters on Candidates, Weather and School Vouchers
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In July, the Hobby School of Public Affairs and the Barbara Jordan–Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs released four reports addressing Texans' positions on general election candidates and issues, past experiences and preparedness with extreme weather events, favorability of prominent political figures, and public opinion on school vouchers as part of the 2024 Texas Trends Survey. The statewide survey is a five-year project launched in 2021 to study Texas' changing population and opinions. Media coverage of the findings included more than 150 citations, including mentions in prominent local, statewide and national outlets, from Houston Public Media and Texas Tribune to NBC News and The New York Times.
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The first report in the survey series asked likely Texas voters to weigh in on the general election in November, including the presidential race and U.S. Senate and Texas railroad commissioner elections in the Lone Star State. Researchers explored the impact of issues and events on the presidential vote decision and looked at candidate approval ratings.
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The second report in the series analyzed Texans’ past experiences with power outages caused by natural disasters and their preparedness for extreme weather events, highlighting critical lessons on the impacts of natural disasters and the future preparedness measures of Texans.
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The third report in the series focuses on favorability evaluations of key political figures among Texas likely voters, including differences of opinion when considering demographics and partisanship.
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The fourth report in the series examines where likely Texas voters stand on school vouchers and educational savings accounts, including support for and opposition to legislative proposals and agreement and disagreement with the most common arguments made against and in favor of such proposals.
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A Former Congressman, a Past Presidential Candidate and an Acclaimed Author Headline Fall Speaker Series
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Acclaimed journalist and author George Packer kicks off the fall lecture series, The Future of American Democracy, on Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. in the Rockwell Pavilion at the M.D. Anderson Library. Presented by the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership, the anticipated series addresses American democracy and the political climate during a presidential election year. Packer will discuss his latest book, "Last Best Hope: America in Crisis and Renewal," which seeks to understand the current moment and offers a path forward for overcoming the country's fractures, injustices and divisions. In October, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro will discuss the state of politics and democracy in America on Oct. 3 at 4 p.m. in the Rockwell Pavilion. Drawing on his experiences as a former presidential candidate, cabinet member in the Obama administration and mayor of San Antonio, he will define his vision for the future of our country. Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger will recount his time in Congress and share his hopeful vision for the country's future on Nov. 13 at 4 p.m. in the Rockwell Pavilion, ending the series. The former Illinois congressman was one of two Republicans to serve on the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol. Kinzinger will discuss his feelings of dissent as he stood against his party and detail his perspective on a democracy under siege. The events are free and open to the university and surrounding communities, but spacing is limited, and registration is required.
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Boost Your Civic Leadership Skills at the 2024 Civic Engagement Boot Camp
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Texans will cast their ballots for races at the federal, state and local levels this November. University of Houston students and community members are invited to participate in a day-long workshop on increasing voter participation and civic leadership ahead of the general election on Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bates Law Building. The 2024 Civic Engagement Boot Camp will convene local experts from government offices and nonprofit organizations, covering various topics and hands-on demonstrations, from the power of the youth vote and voter turnout in Harris County to what’s on the ballot and what to expect at the polls. Participants will learn about voter education initiatives, how to get involved in local government and their communities and how to develop their civic leadership skills. Registration is free, but spacing is limited. Lunch and a t-shirt are provided for registered attendees.
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The Hobby Hour: Immigration and the 2024 Elections
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Houston business leader and author Stan Marek and award-winning journalist Linda Lorelle will discuss the impact of immigration policy in the fourth largest city in the country, outlining the intersection of immigration on nearly every facet of life, from the region's economy and skilled workforce to healthcare and education, ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The expert panel will underscore the human side of immigration, emphasizing the stories of those without legal status and their perspective on practical solutions to an issue at the center of the national agenda. Hobby School Dean Jim Granato will moderate the virtual conversation. Watch the show on the Hobby School's YouTube, Facebook and X channels on Sept. 25 at noon.
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Hobby Leadership Award Nominations Open Through Oct. 4
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When Jason Mangum enrolled in the Certified Manager Program, he was the director of parks and recreation at the City of Missouri City. His peers said Mangum exhibited an unwavering commitment to bettering the lives of others. Today, Mangum serves as the assistant city manager for Missouri City, where he leads with a combination of vision, creativity, decisiveness and use of best practices. He and former Leland Fellow and Civic Houston Intern Karla Rodriguez received the Hobby Leadership Award in 2023 for their dedication to public service. After serving in various roles in the office of U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, Rodriguez recently stepped into the position of communications director for The Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ Bold PAC. Her duties include mobilizing and engaging Latinos in Spanish and English for the 2024 election cycle. Nominations for the 2024 Hobby Leadership Award are open through Friday, Oct. 4. Awards are presented to a former Hobby School intern (Civic Houston Intern, Harris Fellow, Hobby Fellow-Austin or Leland Fellow-Washington) and a graduate of the Certified Public Manager Program each year. Nominees should be distinguished in their profession, leaders in civic engagement and committed to making a difference.
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Celebrating Future Public Service Leaders
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In honor of National Intern Day on July 27, the Hobby School celebrated Hobby School interns exploring their career options, building professional networks and gaining hands-on experience in public service. Many former interns have become leaders in the public and private sectors, elected officials, mentors and committed champions of civic engagement in Texas and throughout the nation. We also checked in with the Harris Fellows completing their full-time summer assignments across various county government offices. From studying policy issues and solutions to creating educational content on local elections and volunteering following Hurricane Beryl, Harris Fellows are examples of the next generation of public service leaders.
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Q&A with Harris Fellow Milan Sam
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Hobby School's Jessica Ruland O'Connor sat down with Harris Fellow Milan Sam at the end of his summer assignment with the Research Analysis Division with the Office of County Administration. Sam is part of the division that provides Harris County leaders with the data and tools to make evidence-based decisions. In this role, he supports analysts in conducting research and drafting reports that assess the effectiveness of county programs and improve the quality of life of county residents. He works alongside former Hobby School intern and MPP alumnus William Janowski, who serves as the division's assistant director. Gain insights from his experience and how the Harris Fellows program has empowered him to lean into his quantitative training as a public policy student.
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Applications Open for 2025 Austin Internship Program
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The Hobby School is recruiting undergraduates from all majors with an interest in state government and politics for the 2025 Hobby Fellows internship program through Friday, Oct. 4. Hobby Fellows earn a stipend to live in Austin and work at the Texas State Capitol in the offices of state representatives and state senators during the regular session of the 89th Texas Legislature. Legislative interns play vital roles during the biennial lawmaking session by working on research, drafting bills, attending committee hearings, special projects and general office operations.
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“Unlike other internships, the Hobby Fellows program provided an up close and hands-on experience with public policy. We were interns in name only. Hobby Fellows fulfilled the roles of policy staffers and were responsible for certain legislative priorities. I was the senior transportation and criminal justice policy staffer responsible for Sen. Alvarado's legislation in these policy areas.” Rohit Shajan, 2023 Hobby Fellow in the office of Texas state Sen. Carol Alvarado
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New Faculty Member Focuses on Housing and Urban Economics
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Welcome Valentine Gilbert, the newest Hobby School faculty member, who will teach economics and policy analysis and theory and practice courses to undergraduate students interested in public policy. In addition, Gilbert brings a research focus on urban and public economics, specifically on housing affordability and understanding the geographic and distributional consequences of changes in housing supply and costs. In a recent job market paper, he used large-scale administrative data and economic theory to understand what the pattern of residential
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mobility between housing sub-markets reveals about the price and welfare effects of new housing construction. Gilbert received his Ph.D. in public policy with a specialty in economics from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Before his doctoral studies, he was a researcher at the University of Chicago Crime Lab in New York and received a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Rochester.
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Hobby School’s Chris Bronk Selected to Fulbright Program
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Congratulations to Hobby School Associate Professor Chris Bronk, who is one of five University of Houston faculty members selected for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Bronk will travel to Australia in 2025 to broaden his academic perspective and study how cyberattacks and information influence public opinion and democracy. Bronk’s work centers on cybersecurity education, social media and influence campaigns, cyber workforce development, international conflict and applied cybersecurity for energy and logistics.
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His book, “Cyber Threat: The Rise of Information Geopolitics in U.S. National Security,” and other published works address internet censorship, online surveillance, border security, public diplomacy and critical infrastructure protection. Beginning in January, Bronk will serve as the Fulbright Distinguished Chair in Cyber-Information-Influence at the Defence and Security Institute at the University of Adelaide.
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Get to Know Elizabeth D. Rockwell Visiting Professor Nora Reikosky
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The Hobby School's Celeste Zamora caught up with incoming Elizabeth D. Rockwell Visiting Professor Nora Reikosky as she looks forward to the upcoming fall semester at the University of Houston. Riekosky's research focuses on the role of plutocratic actors, like philanthropists and philanthropic corporations, in shaping the priorities and purposes of public education. She comes to Houston from the University
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of Pennsylvania, where she earned a doctorate in education and political science. She will teach an undergraduate course on contemporary political philosophy and policy. Q: What are you most excited about at the Hobby School? A: "As an applied political theorist and education scholar, I am excited by the opportunity to further focus my research on the role of local and state philanthropic and corporate actors in Texas who shape public education priorities and policies. At the Hobby School, I plan to expand my research beyond the education policy domain to broadly consider the ethical stakes of public-private partnerships and corporate influence in policy advocacy." Q: What is your vision for the courses you are teaching? A: "In my contemporary political philosophy and policy course, I hope students will gain a robust understanding of the values and beliefs woven into contemporary public policies. Students will learn the language and philosophical concepts that will allow them to better identify, interpret and critique the aims and political assumptions of policies that impact and govern our communities. We will learn collaboratively by considering the philosophical grounding of four connected and sometimes competing policy values – justice, equality, liberty and efficiency – and examine them through cases."
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The Congressman Gene Green Award for Excellence was started in 2024 from an endowed gift to the Hobby School by former U.S. Rep. Gene Green and his spouse, Helen Green. The $2,500 award is presented to one member of each biennial Leland Fellows cohort who stands out among their peers. Recipients demonstrate outstanding on-the-job performance during their Washington, D.C. internship, complete a volunteer project and submit a summary of their experience. Congratulations to Gabriela Hamdieh, the inaugural recipient of the Congressman Gene Green Award for Excellence. In the spring of 2024, Hamdieh worked in the office of U.S. Representative Sylvia Garcia and volunteered with area nonprofits focused on food insecurity. She learned about the complexities of policymaking and expanded her worldview and understanding of the federal government.
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"I became more knowledgeable about how bills are administered within the scope of the Capitol, how offices reach out to each other and how members interact to promote certain legislation. I attended events at embassies, member-hosted parties, committee hearings, receptions, and policy briefings and met people with a wealth of experience. Being able to be in this space has improved my understanding of the federal government and its realities that can't be found in a textbook." Gabriela Hamdieh, 2024 Leland Fellow in the office of U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia
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The 2024 Texas Trends Survey report findings dominated media coverage in July in prominent regional and national outlets such as The New York Times, The Hill, USA Today, Newsmax, The Center Square, Yahoo! News, KHOU-11, ABC13, Houston Chronicle, Houston Public Media, Texas Standard and The Texan. The surveys delved into Texans' opinions on elections, issues, natural disaster response and school vouchers. According to Meltwater, a media monitoring tool, the report on school vouchers and educational savings accounts was cited in 156 media outlets with a potential reach of half a billion within 24 hours of its release. Hobby School Associate Professor Mirya R. Holman was featured on NPR's All Things Considered, discussing perceptions of women in positions of power as Kamala Harris' presidential campaign launched. Holman addressed why women in political leadership tend to be referred to by their first names more often than their male counterparts. With two mass power outage events within two months in the region, Hobby School Distinguished Professor Pablo M. Pinto discussed a 2022 report on the lasting impacts of Hurricane Harvey on the region with a VOX reporter. Hurricane Beryl’s aftermath resurfaced discussions about the power infrastructure and a 2023 survey question from Hobby School researchers about whether Houstonians have considered leaving the region. Senior Executive Director and Researcher Renée Cross spoke to The New York Times about the findings and demographic differences in responses. Hobby School faculty members and researchers are sought-after experts in their fields, contributing to conversations on timely topics and policy options and addressing concerns important to Texans.
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Hobby School Happenings captures lectures, events, application deadlines, programs and collaborations hosted or co-sponsored by the Hobby School and its centers. Mark your calendars and join us for the next Hobby School happening. Saturday, Aug. 17
National Nonprofit Day Monday, Aug. 19
First Day of Fall Classes Sunday, September 1
Spring 2025 Priority Deadline for Graduate Candidate Applicants
Learn More Thursday, Sept. 12, 4-6 p.m. America in Crisis and Renewal with George Packer
The Future of American Democracy Lecture Series Presented by the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center
Rockwell Pavilion, M.D. Anderson Library
Register Friday, Sept. 13, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 2024 Civic Engagement Boot Camp Heritage Room, Bates Law Building Register
Thursday, Sept. 17
National Voter Registration Day
Monday, Sept. 23
Richard Murray Endowed Scholarship
Application Deadline
Apply Wednesday, Sept. 25, 12-1p.m.
The Hobby Hour: Immigration and the 2024 Elections
Watch on Hobby School’s YouTube, X and Facebook accounts
Learn More
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