Pell Center’s Summer Institute of Politics Welcomes National Cohort of Future Civic Leaders to Newport
NEWPORT, R.I. — 25 motivated high school students hailing from Oregon to New Jersey convened at the Pell Center at Salve Regina University in July for the 2025 Summer Institute of Politics. The weeklong program offered students the opportunity to develop leadership skills and make connections with peers while they explored the complexities of American democracy and immersed themselves in the issues facing public leaders today.
Throughout the week, students heard from guest speakers including Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg Amore, who spoke on voting rights and voter suppression, Megan McCabe, Director of Communications for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who offered insights into the evolving landscape of political communications and Ed Fitzpatrick, columnist for The Boston Globe, who discussed the role of journalism in a healthy democracy.
Students got a glimpse of life on a college campus as they worked closely with Salve Regina undergraduate students who served as peer mentors and facilitators as part of Salve's Summer Compass program, leading interactive simulations designed to hone participants’ strategic thinking. They explored Newport’s rich history, touring historic sites including Fort Adams State Park and enjoyed a sail aboard a historic schooner on Newport harbor. Author and futurist Jamie Metzl joined the group for the sail before delivering a public lecture on the lawn of Salve Regina’s Ochre Court on the “superconvergence” of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and agriculture, and its capacity to transform our way of life.
These experiences throughout the week informed students’ work on their policy proposal project. Each student prepared an original policy recommendation on an array of public issues from AI regulation to climate change and presented them at a session attended by members of the public. The following day, they pitched their policies to a panel of experts at the culminating “Policy Shark Tank” session. Award-winning author and communications strategist Jay Sullivan served as a panelist and reflected on the student pitches, attributing their success to “keeping their language simple, conveying a genuine sense of commitment to their idea, and tackling tough and random questions with a great balance of confidence and humility.”
The program concluded with an award ceremony that recognized one student with the most compelling policy pitch, as determined by votes from their peers, public attendees, and expert panelists. Saoirse McIntyre of Chicago, Illinois, earned this year’s award for her project on AI regulation in education and autonomous weapons.
“Participants this year came to the Institute ready to learn and engage on day one,” said Pell Center Associate Director Katie Sonder, reflecting on the week. “I was impressed by their curiosity, which drove them to delve into their projects with commitment and tenacity. Many of them got to the root of their project issues and suggested policies which accurately displayed their drive to create social change for a better, more equitable society.”
“At a time when politics seem fraught and our divisions seems unassailable, it was inspiring to spend a week with such a remarkable group of students, each dedicated in their own way to addressing big issues, bridging divides, and contributing to the success of the American republic,” said Dr. Jim Ludes, executive director of the Pell Center.
Learn more about the Summer Institute of Politics here.
