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The Future of American Democracy Lecture Series Presented by The Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership
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Join the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership for a fall lecture series examining the state of democracy and political climate in the U.S. during a presidential election year. The Future of American Democracy lectures will feature prominent speakers committed to strengthening political participation and democratic institutions. The events are open to the university and surrounding communities and will be held at the Rockwell Pavilion at the M.D. Anderson Library. America in Crisis and Renewal with George Packer Acclaimed journalist and author George Packer starts the series on Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. 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. Our America with Julián Castro Former 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. 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. The State of American Democracy with Adam Kinzinger 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. 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.
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Get Ballot Box-Ready Ahead of November Election
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Voter education plays a critical role in every election and Texans who cast their ballot in November will have a say in who will represent them in federal, state and local government. To empower University of Houston students and community members with the knowledge and tools to increase voter participation and become civic leaders, the Hobby School is hosting a day-long workshop ahead of the next general election on Friday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the University of Houston. The 2024 Civic Engagement Boot Camp will convene local experts from government offices and nonprofit organizations to cover a range of relevant topics, hands-on demonstrations and training to become Volunteer Deputy Registrars in Harris County. Registration is free but required.
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August Texas Trends Survey Voters on Housing Affordability, Immigration and Border Security, the General Election and Climate Challenges
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In August, 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, immigration and border security, housing affordability and climate change 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 latest survey findings included nearly 100 citations, including mentions in prominent local, statewide and national outlets. National media mentions included The Daily Mail, Newsweek, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, NewsMax, Salon and Raw Story. In regional news, the report findings were cited by The Texas Tribune, Texas Standard, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, The Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman, Houston Chronicle, Houston Public Media and on broadcast channels WFAA, KHOU, KRIV, KTRK and KBTX.
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The fifth report in the series examined public opinion on several housing-related issues, including evaluations of local housing affordability, support for policies to increase the amount of rental housing for low- and middle-income Texans and the degree and sources of financial strain placed on Texans by housing costs.
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The sixth report in the series examined public opinion on national and state immigration policies, including evaluations of how President Joe Biden and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have handled border security-related issues and differences of opinion when considering demographics and partisanship.
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The seventh report in the series took a second look at the vote intention of Texans in the general election. The survey was conducted between Aug. 5 and 16, after Joe Biden ended his reelection bid and Kamala Harris secured the Democratic presidential nomination.
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The eighth report in the series highlights the growing impact of climate change on Texans, especially among lower-income communities and those who have experienced power outages and blackouts due to major extreme weather events.
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Coog Spirit Returns with Fall Semester
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This fall, the Hobby School welcomed a dynamic group of students with diverse backgrounds, experiences and passions. To celebrate a return to campus and new and familiar faces, our student affairs team members shared some memorable images and their insight into their student-centered roles. Meet the program directors who help fulfill the school's mission through internships, public service opportunities and mentorship.
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Emily Janowski directs the Next Generation Leadership Academy for undergraduates interested in public service careers. The leadership development program is a national collaboration with The Volcker Alliance and a network of 21 participating universities nationwide. She also co-directs the Certified Manager Program, an accredited professional program for emerging public sector managers representing local government and nonprofit offices to learn and apply best practices.
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Scott Mason is a former Civic Houston Intern. A two-time Coog, Scott now serves as the program director for academic advising, guiding Hobby School students through their academic journeys to the commencement stage. Beyond helping students fulfill their degree requirements, he works with the other program directors to share how students can integrate real-world experiences to enhance classroom learning. He earned his Master of Public Administration in 2006 and is a UH football and men’s basketball season ticket holder.
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Jessica Ruland O'Connor oversees the school's undergraduate internships in Houston, Austin and Washington, D.C., leads civic engagement projects and builds relationships with alumni and community partners. Jessica is a two-time Coog who started her public service journey as a Civic Houston Intern and later as a Leland Fellow on Capitol Hill. She's passionate about experiential learning opportunities and investing in student success.
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Mission-Oriented Students Join National Network
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Meet the 2024-2026 Next Generation Leadership Academy members. Eleven UH undergraduates seeking innovative careers rooted in public service and social impact join a national program led by The Volcker Alliance. The newest cohort welcomes seven public policy majors while their peers study political science, mathematics and strategic communications. Hobby School's Emily Janowski helps guide students on paths to careers and community leadership roles by facilitating gatherings, site visits and other opportunities that educate them on policy issues and empower them to lead projects they are passionate about. The collaborative program aligns with the Hobby School's mission to increase civic engagement participation and real-world experience across industries and sectors.
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Fall Civic Houston Interns Commence Public Service Journeys
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57 undergraduates from various academic disciplines join the Civic Houston Internship Program this fall. Led by the Hobby School's Jessica Ruland O'Connor, the University of Houston students are eager to gain public service experience working part-time at governmental offices at local, state and federal levels in the Houston region and with area nonprofits, public affairs firms and electoral campaigns. With less than two months until Election Day, Civic Houston Interns will volunteer on voter education initiatives and engage in other exciting experiential learning opportunities on and off campus. Nine interns are returning to the program, and over twenty are first-generation college students.
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Research and Data Analysis Projects at Work in the Community
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Social Economy and Enterprise Academy interns wrapped up their summer assignments at five local nonprofits, concluding their team projects with presentations featuring their key findings and recommendations. Twenty-two participating undergraduates and graduate candidates worked in groups to perform research and data analysis for Asia Society Texas, East Harris County Empowerment Council, Center for Community and Public Policy Improvement and Workforce Solutions. Campus and community members voted for the participants working with Workforce Solutions on investing in targeted programs that align with industry sectors in high growth and demand over the next ten years as the winning team. Faculty members Pablo Pinto of the Hobby School and Germán Cubas and Piruz Saboury of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences are the program directors. Explore the project library.
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Ethics and Leadership Scholarship Open through Oct. 1
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The Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership encourages undergraduates and graduate candidates from various academic disciplines interested in ethical leadership to apply for one of six $1,500 scholarships. 2024-2025 EDR Scholars will coordinate a campus activity that fosters dialogue on ethics and leadership and attend center-sponsored programs and lectures throughout the academic year. Learn more about the award eligibility qualifications and apply by the Oct. 1 application deadline.
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Hobby Leadership Award Nominations Open Through Oct. 4
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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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Dean Granato Presents Survey Findings at Data Summit
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Hobby School Dean Jim Granato shared highlights from the 2024 Texas Trends Survey report series and previewed a data dashboard and longitudinal study at an annual data summit hosted by the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas-Houston Branch. He introduced the Houston Data Hub Dashboard, an interactive tool that helps understand the needs and characteristics of Houston area neighborhoods that make them more vulnerable to weather events, health or economic challenges, to an audience of business leaders and other decision-makers.
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How does candidate order on the ballot impact voting behavior when voters rank candidates? The Hobby School's Yuki Atsusaka's recent article on ballot voting behavior discusses the concepts of "position effects" and "pattern ranking" using survey and natural experiments from mayoral and congressional races in two U.S. states. The work found that while voters seemed less susceptible to specific ballot positions, ballot design can still impact voters' ranking behavior via pattern ranking. Students and researchers can access the article online. Atsusaka is an associate professor at the Hobby School. He studies electoral systems, race and representation and political methodology in addition to his teaching responsibilities. He earned his Ph.D. in political science from Rice University.
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The 2024 Texas Trends Survey report findings dominated Hobby School media coverage in August. In an opinion editorial for the Houston Chronicle, Jim Granato, Mark P. Jones and Michael O. Adams highlighted the complex politics of school vouchers ahead of the 2025 legislative session, with Republican and Democrat state legislators likely to face political dilemmas. Renée Cross, senior executive director and a researcher at the Hobby School, joined the Texas Standard with insights from the latest statewide poll since President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race. Associate Professor Chris Bronk gave commentary on data protection and cybersecurity threats in a Houston Public Media interview and a Houston Chronicle article about recent corporate breaches. Instructional Associate Professor Sara Sands wrote an opinion editorial for the Houston Chronicle examining teacher policies at Houston ISD, focusing on the potential of the Teacher Leader Academy.
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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. 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
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 9 a.m. Houston Matters Political Roundup with Renée Cross Houston Public Media’s News 88.7 Listen Online 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 Tuesday, Oct. 1 2024-2025 Elizabeth D. Rockwell Scholars Application Deadline Apply Thursday, Oct. 3, 4-6 p.m. Our America with Julián Castro The Future of American Democracy Lecture Series Presented by the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center Rockwell Pavilion, M.D. Anderson Library Register Friday, Oct. 4 2024 Hobby Leadership Award Nomination Deadline Nominate Thursday, Oct. 10, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Fall 2024 UH Graduate School Fair Butler Plaza Tuesday, Oct. 15, 3-5 p.m. Agile Education Introduction Student Session Heritage Room, Bates Law Building
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