The Riley Institute is committed to educating the public on policy matters of broad concern. One of the primary ways in which we do this is through the annual Riley Institute National Conference that brings noted participants from around the United States and the world to serve as educators for the public on a variety of issues. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was the keynote speaker for the first Riley Institute National Conference, "National Security in a New Age." In addition to Secretary Albright's address, former U.S. Ambassador to the UK, Phil Lader, and others engaged in a panel discussion on post-September 11 national security issues in the United States. The conference brought 4,000 people to campus.

The second national conference, "Women and Politics: Transforming Public Leadership," designed to assess changes in the trajectory and scope of women's political involvement in South Carolina and the United States over the past three decades, took place in downtown Greenville as well as on campus. U.S. Secretary of State and former U.S. Senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children's Defense Fund, and others participated in the conference that was attended by more than 5,000 people from across the United States.

You can click on the links at right to learn more about our past national conferences and policy series. Members of the public are encouraged to join us for stimulating discussions featuring leading experts.