It’s been more than ten years in the making.

But this month the Richard W. Riley Institute of Government, Politics and Public Leadership will become reality as Furman launches the major academic initiative during an October 22 luncheon at Timmons Arena.

Former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Robert Rubin will serve as the keynote speaker for the event, which is expected to attract national media attention to the university and state. More than 500 people are expected at the opening ceremony, including notable national and state political leaders.

The Richard W. Riley Institute of Government and Public Leadership will:

• Attract nationally recognized speakers from the world of government, politics and public leadership to Furman each year to participate in the Riley Conference on Government, Politics and Public Leadership. This gathering, to be held during the fall and spring, will be convened by Riley and will focus national media attention on Furman as some of the top political minds of the day gather to debate international affairs, government policy and timely political issues.

• Support a Riley Fellow-in-Residence. The Riley Fellow, a former diplomat, legislator or prominent academician, will be on campus for an academic term. During his or her visit, the Fellow would give several public lectures, speak in classes and regularly meet with students and faculty.

• Establish the Riley Scholars Program. The scholarship would recognize political science majors who excel academically and are extremely active in the department’s programs, including study abroad, Mock Trial, academic symposiums and service learning projects.

• Create an endowment that would fund stipends for 12 teaching associates, seven research associates and student internships.

• Establish the Riley Summer Institute for Teachers of Political Science. Middle and high school teachers of political science in South Carolina will be eligible to attend this week-long summer workshop free of charge. During this week of intense training, teachers will discuss the latest political trends and classroom techniques and have the opportunity to interact with their peers.

"Our department has been working on this for 10 years and we are excited to see things come together," says Don Gordon, professor of political science. "The Institute will serve as a tribute to one of Furman’s greatest alumni while solidifying our department’s place among the nation’s very best political science programs."

In the 1998 Franklin and Marshall Survey of the Baccalaureate Origins of Doctoral Recipients, the Furman political science department ranked number one in the South and in the top 15 nationwide among 132 national liberal arts colleges.