Riley Supports Student Op-eds

This fall, several students participating in our programs placed op-eds in papers around the state. As part of our Riley Institute Summer Experience (RISE) internships, students were tasked with writing an op-ed, drawing from what they’d learned about solutions to public issues. Read their pieces in The Post & Courier and South Carolina Daily Gazette below:

Amiya Young ’26 – Greenville’s growth is pushing out its past. It doesn’t have to.

True DePaoli ’27 – You can’t fix the birth rate without fixing child care

Gabrielle Harvey ’27 – People with lived experience have a story to tell, nonprofits should listen

We also ran an on-campus op-ed competition in conjunction with the annual StraightTalk series, asking students how they define the American Dream and if and how it can be made achievable. Read the top entries, published in the Greenville Journal and the Paladin:

Anthony Morgan ’26 – Saving the American dream requires active participation

Raya Almahameed ’28, Reigniting the American Dream in Greenville

Alexis Akers ’27, The American Dream: Not a Privilege for the Few, But a Possibility For the Many

Bonus: In this LinkedIn article, RISE Intern Harper Lumpkin ’27 reminds us of the importance of local political engagement.