The Riley Institute
Named for two-time South Carolina governor and former U.S. Secretary of Education Dick Riley, Furman University’s Richard W. Riley Institute advances social and economic progress in South Carolina and beyond by building leadership for a diverse society, hosting expert speakers to broaden perspectives on critical issues, supporting public education, and creating knowledge through community solutions-focused research.
Centers of Work
The Riley Institute was founded in 1999 at Furman University with the dual objectives of advancing social and economic progress in South Carolina and beyond and providing unmatched opportunities for Furman students.
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Broadening perspectives around pressing contemporary policy issues, the Riley Institute hosts expert speakers and scholars on the university’s campus as well as across South Carolina. Hundreds of expert speakers have spoken at Riley Institute events since its founding in 1999.
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The Riley Institute’s Center for Diversity Strategies recognizes excellence in diversity leadership and equips leaders and community stakeholders with the tools needed to harness the power of diversity in their organizations and communities, drive positive change, and enhance the economic and civic vitality of South Carolina.
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The Institute’s research consultancy promotes evidence-informed practices and policies and supports entities that serve children and families across the state. It provides external research and evaluation services, serves as an evaluation partner, and helps organizations build strategic learning skills.
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The Riley Institute’s Center for Education Policy and Leadership supports and recognizes highly effective and innovative approaches to public education, from afterschool and summer learning to public school Montessori, that drive better and more equitable outcomes for all the people of South Carolina and beyond.
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For students wanting to become thought leaders, learning from one of the 20th Century’s top presidential cabinet members is not a bad place to start. The Riley Institute cultivates leaders among students and broadens perspectives about issues critical to progress in South Carolina and beyond.
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Latest Riley Institute News
The Post and Courier: Spartanburg’s Northside Initiative honored by Furman’s Riley Institute
Ten years in the making, the Northside Initiative is an ongoing neighborhood revitalization effort to spur economic prosperity, increase quality affordable housing, improve access to healthy food and promote positive health outcomes.
Continue Reading >Spartanburg Northside Initiative receives Riley Institute’s OneSouthCarolina Partners in Progress Award
The initiative was recognized at a special forum in Columbia for advancing social and economic progress in South Carolina.
Continue Reading >Spartanburg Northside Initiative to Receive Inaugural Statewide Award from Riley Institute
The Spartanburg Northside Initiative, one of the nation’s most ambitious neighborhood revitalization efforts, will be presented with the inaugural OneSouthCarolina Partners in Progress Award.
Continue Reading >