“In order for us to be inclusive, we need to really highlight that representation matters and include as many people, organizations, thought processes and concerns that people may have,” said Malaika Merid, a second-year Master of Public Policy Student at USC Price who was one of the event organizers. “This is a gathering space of real diverse thought, and I think that the best way for us to move forward with that is to keep creating ways to find more diversity of thought to be included within the forum.”

With the goal of fostering cross-disciplinary synergies among political economy scholars and fill the need for a regular meeting place, the USC PIPE Collaborative hosted the First Annual Political Institutions and Political Economy Conference on March 15-16, convening major U.S. scholars from political science, economics, and law to cover important new research on topics such as the unilateral presidency, Congressional committees, city policies, electoral rules, political leadership, and partisanship.

Inspired by his forthcoming book Is the Cemetery Dead?, Sloane was the featured speaker for the March 12 USC Price Conversation in New York, addressing Price alumni and current students, as well as SEO Scholars from local high schools. He gave a poignant, personal talk that encompassed changing American attitudes about cremation to how to support friends who are grieving.

Speaking to cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, USC Price School of Public Policy Professor Erroll Southers let them know that, even though they are intelligent students demonstrating a commitment to being the next generation of American leaders, they are also prime targets for recruitment by homegrown violent extremist organizations.