Are you interested in public policy? Do you want to help build better, stronger, more equitable communities? The Riley Institute cultivates leadership among students, broadens and deepens their thinking around critical issues, and inspires them to make an impact at Furman and within the broader community. Our student programming and opportunities center around
- policy issues;
- how they affect communities locally, nationally, and globally;
- and how we can change systems to advance more equitable outcomes for all.
The Riley Institute Advance Team is a group of select students who are passionate about politics and public policy and who wish to engage in substantive peer-led discussions about critical issues facing our country. Members of the Advance Team play a crucial role in staffing and executing various Riley Institute events throughout the year and, in the process, have special opportunities to interact with local, national, and international leaders.
Learn more about the Advance Team
The Community of Scholars comprises Furman students who are recipients of Duke, Townes, Hollingsworth, Jolley, Lay, Mickel, and Vaughn Scholarships. The Riley Institute supports programming for these students, giving them opportunities to understand and respond to critical issues, cultivate their leadership capacity, and engage in community-building activities together throughout their time at Furman.
Learn about the Community of Scholars
The Riley Institute supports an annual cohort of Furman students that travel to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit, held in one of the 21 APEC countries. The student delegation represents the United States as youth delegates and journalists in the Voices of the Future program. They attend sessions at the prestigious , featuring heads of state and their top business advisors.
Learn more about APEC
Delivering on Furman’s promise to prepare students for lives of purpose and accelerated career and community impact through The Furman Advantage, students may engage in paid summer internships through our Riley Institute Summer Experience (RISE) program. We also offer research and student worker positions throughout the academic year. Visit Workday for current job listings.
Learn more about our RISE internship opportunitiesEach year the Riley Institute hosts several Cultural Life Program (CLP) events for Furman students. Our events focus on the most pressing policy challenges of our time, with special attention on how these issues play out in our own local community and what can be done to make progress.
See upcoming and recent CLPs
Glimpse the Highlights
Our Student Opportunities Team
Kendall Gallagher-King
