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12h ago

Nancy Pelosi Will Launch an Institute at UC Berkeley in January 2027

The donor-funded, nonpartisan center will train hundreds of undergraduates, support research on threats to democracy, and bring Pelosi onto campus as a teacher and public figure.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during a rally opposing House Republicans Tax Proposal prior to the final House Vote on Capitol Hill on May 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
FILE - Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., speaks at an event at the U.S. Capitol, March 25, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert, File)
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., attends a rally with faith and Congressional leaders to call for the renewal of Affordable Care Act premium tax credits and end the government shutdown, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill on Thursday, October 9, 2025.
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Overview

  • UC Berkeley announced Monday that the Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy will begin operations in January 2027 and that Pelosi will co-teach a course on Congress starting spring 2027.
  • The university says the institute has more than $35 million pledged toward a $50 million endowment goal to fund fellowships, internships, faculty research and undergraduate certificates.
  • Officials expect the program to serve roughly 500 students a year with courses, paid internships, visiting fellows and an annual public forum, and the Bancroft Library will mount an exhibit on Pelosi’s congressional career next spring.
  • Berkeley and Pelosi describe the center as nonpartisan and subject to public-university rules that bar partisan political activity, but officials acknowledge the project raises questions about governance, donor influence and perceived political balance.
  • The institute joins a growing national roster of civics centers tied to high-profile politicians and aims to focus research on polarization, AI and democratic governance, climate and inequality, and criminal justice reform.