Throughout the school year, the Institute of Government and Politics hosts alumni, elected officials, and policy experts to speak on a variety of issues and topics. Students are able to learn and network with experts in the field by attending these events.
The IOGP has expanded its events lineup to include Foxley Forums, Internship Panels, Policy Forums and Pizza & Politics discussions. Join the IOGP’s conversation with U.S. Representatives, federal judges, congressional staff and top international and communications specialists at one of our upcoming events.
Upcoming Events
Welcome Back Aggies! Join us on January 24th watch our socials for more information.
Past Events
The Great Salt Lake is a unique ecosystem that is pivotal to our economy and quality of life in northern Utah. Lake water levels have been trending downward for the past decade and reached record lows in 2021 and 2022. How did we get here? Does the deep snowpack this winter help? Can we restore the Great Salt Lake to a healthy condition? Join Dr. Brian Steed, Executive Director of the Institute for Land, Water, and Air, and Dr. Patrick Belmont, Head of the Watershed Department in the College of Natural Resources, for an interactive discussion and Q&A on the history, current state, and future of the Great Salt Lake.
A bipartisan event which featured panelists that answered questions from students about the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and what that meant for Utahns. Featuring Leslie Francis, a law professor from the University of Utah, and Mike Lyons, a political science professor from USU. The aim the of the event was to create an atmosphere where information and empowerment was prioritized and participation by all was encouraged.
Matt Canham, Senior Managing Editor for the Salt Lake Tribune, visited Utah State's campus for a conversation on the role of media in politics, hosted by the Institute of Government and Politics and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Canham offered fascinating insights into recent changes and threats to journalism do to the digital age. Additionally there was discussion as to the the role of news as a watchdog to hold people and institutions in positions of power accountable, how to go about dealing with the recent phenomenon of fake news, and how the Salt Lake Tribune has encountered and interacted with these aspects of journalism recently. See some of Matt Canham's recent reporting.
The Institute of Government and Politics and the USU Department of Political Science were excited to put on an event providing insights for discussion and orientation as to the current situation in Venezuela. Featured guest speakers Kirk Hawkins and Raul Sanchez-Urribarri both contributed fascinating insights from there scholarly studies of the region highlighting how these events might relate to the United States and the rest of the world. They were also sure to engage with student comments and ideas in what turned out to be a standing-room-only event. To read more about the work of these speakers, visit their bio pages below.
Michael Scott Peters, United States Youth Observer to the United Nations and Utah State Univeristy alum, joined the Institute of Government and Politics for a discussion on human trafficking and how we can make a difference here in Cache Valley. He also advertised new positions opening up within the United Nations here in Utah. Learn more about these positions.
Boyd Matheson, Opinion Editor at the Deseret News and former speechwriter/Cheif of Staff to Senator Mike Lee, joined the IOGP on campus for a discussion on crafting a respectful political message. As the State of the Union approaches, he challenged our students to writing their own State of the Union address. He provided a lot of great advice about personal integrity, confirmation bias, trusted voices, and more. You can find more of Boyd's work on the Deseret News.
The IOGP joined the Office of Global Engagement and many other internship providers at the Spring 2019 Study Abroad Fair. Students were able to drop by and learn more about the IOGP's new global internship program and the opportunities it provides. Are you interested in interning abroad? Please email Dr. Shannon Peterson at shannon.peterson@usu.edu for more information!
This semester's internship Q&A panel was a hugh succes! With about 30 students in attendance, it was a full room with a lot of great questions. The panelists Dr. Robert Ross, Dr. Shannon Peterson, and Bronte Forsgren, were able to answer all of the students' questions about the benefits and logistics of doing an internship. If you missed the event, we are still here to answer any questions you might have about participating in our internship program. Come see us in Old Main 109, visit the “Q&A” tab, or contact Karsyn at karsyn.dahl@usu.edu. Please see the “Internships” tab for application deadlines.