Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will be teaching a course at the University of California, Berkeley, at a new “nonpartisan” institute bearing her name.
According to the university, the Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy, or NPI, will be a “hub for research, teaching and civic engagement rooted in a shared commitment to advancing the public good.” It will feature faculty research initiatives, undergrad courses, and a visiting fellows program.
Described as a “nonpartisan institute,” UC Berkeley claimed that the site will strengthen American democracy and advancing solutions to the country’s most pressing challenges.”
“The work of democracy is never finished, and securing its future is our greatest calling. UC Berkeley has a long, proud history of challenging the status quo and producing leaders who run toward the greatest challenges of our time,” Pelosi said in a statement. “I am honored to partner with this exceptional community of scholars and students so we can equip the next generation with the tools they need to strengthen our democratic institutions and forge a future that serves the public good.”
Chancellor Rich Lyons explained that the purpose and impact of the NPI will be defined and strengthened by Berkeley’s ability to bring together world-class faculty and extraordinary students and by our commitment, as the country’s preeminent public university, to advancing the greater good. We intend to do more than simply study democracy; we are building this institute to strengthen it.”
The institute has received more than $35 million in donations, many of which have been earmarked for permanent endowment. Officials set a $50 million goal to “solidify the institute as a national leader in research and fellowships,” the university added.
Pelosi announced last year that she would retire from Congress at the end of her term and would not seek re-election in 2026.
