Recent Events

Mayors Panel on Water Quality, November 13, 2019: Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, Lawrence Mayor Christopher Bobbitt, Hopewell Township Mayor Kristin McLaughlin and Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann discussed the quality of drinking water from Trenton Water Works, the campus’ water utility. In recent years, the four mayors have worked closely together to lead improvements in the operation of this regional water provider.

An Evening with David Wildstein, October 7, 2019: David Wildstein, editor of the New Jersey Globe, gave an intimate talk on his role in Bridgegate and how it has shaped his coverage of politics in the Garden State.

A Conversation with Governor Phil Murphy, September 24, 2019: Phil Murphy, the 56th governor of New Jersey, joined nearly 300 students, faculty, staff and members of the community for a provocative discussion.

Statewide Intern Conference, July 17, 2019: NBC National Political Correspondent Steve Kornacki shared his observations of New Jersey’s politics from his days of covering the state.  He also offered his views on the upcoming presidential election.  He was joined by Senator Troy Singleton, former New Jersey Treasurer David Rousseau, former EPA administration Alan Steinberg, and political writer and activist Jay Lassiter in a day of summer learning for over 100 of the state’s political interns.

An Evening with U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito ‘96, April 24, 2019: Rider alumnus Craig Carpenito offered a moving tribute to his retiring professor, Dr. Harvey Kornberg.  He credits Dr. Kornberg with motivating him to succeed at Rider and law school, beginning his path to the leading federal law enforcement official in the state.

Pinelands Summit, April 4, 2019: Former Governor James J. Florio, Pinelands Commissioner and Columbia Law Professor Edward Lloyd, and Pinelands Preservation Alliance Deputy Director Jaclyn Lloyd helped the Rebovich Institute mark 40 years of Pinelands protections by discussing the effectiveness and future of the landmark Pinelands Protection Act.

A Conversation with Jerry Zaro, Chair of the Gateway Program Development Corporation, February 5, 2019: Zaro discussed the dire need to replace the rail infrastructure between New Jersey and Manhattan, and its essential role in the regional and national economy.  He offered a frank assessment of the serious obstacles in bringing the century-old infrastructure into the modern era, and what we must do to overcome them.

Observing the Anniversary of New Jersey’s Ratification of the United States Constitution, December 18, 2018: In honoring the Rebovich Institute tradition of observing New Jersey’s role in ratifying the Constitution, Rider hosted a rare, one-day exhibit of the state’s original ratification documents, including its official copy of the Constitution and the minutes of the state’s ratification convention.

An Evening with New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, October 29, 2018: Grewal discussed the obstacles he has faced and overcome as the first Sikh-American attorney general in the United States, as well as Rider’s Shared Read Book, “How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?”  He shared his vision for New Jersey to lead the nation in protecting the civil rights of all people.

An Evening with Congressman-Elect Jeff Van Drew, November 12, 2018: Van Drew spoke for the first time after his election to Congress from New Jersey’s Second District, the southernmost in the state. He offered an intimate view of his uphill campaigns, sharing his assessment of what worked and why.

An Evening with Regina Egea, Former Chief of Staff to Governor Chris Christie, September 25, 2018: Egea is one of the few women to ever hold this central role in New Jersey’s state government.  She shared reflections of her tenure, as well as her new work leading the Garden State Initiative.

Securing the Homeland: An Evening with Greg Brown, April 10, 2018: Greg Brown, Chairman and CEO of Motorola Solutions, visited Rider to discuss the imperative of homeland security as a foundation for successful foreign policy.

A Green Amendment for New Jersey’s Constitution: An Evening with Maya van Rossum, April 3, 2018: Maya K. van Rossum, Director, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, visited Rider to discuss environmental issues and strategies, as well as the lessons New Jersey can learn from Pennsylvania’s Environmental Rights Amendment.

Arms Transfers and Human Rights: An Evening with Allan Suchinsky, March 27, 2018: Allan Suchinsky, Senior Advisor, Trade Compliance Group and former State Department official, visited Rider to discuss the regulatory process for exporting U.S. arms, especially in light of human rights. He also focused on his personal involvement with key U.S. export transactions, such as in Saudi Arabia.

The Challenges of Homeland Security: An Evening with Hon. Tom Ridge, April 18, 2016: Tom Ridge, former Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, former Governor of Pennsylvania, former U.S. Congressman and current Chairman of Ridge Global, visited Rider to discuss The Challenges of Homeland Security: An Evening with Hon. Tom Ridge

This program coincided with the launch of Rider University's new M.A. program in Homeland Security Studies.

Watch a video of the Homeland Security event.

Report from Washington, D.C.: An Evening with Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, March 10, 2016: Bonnie Watson Coleman, a long-time and influential advocate for the people of New Jersey and a congresswoman from New Jersey's 12th district, visited Rider to deliver a "Report from Washington, D.C."

This event honored both Women's History Month and 150 years of women at Rider University.

A video of the event is now available.

Celebrating Women in the New Jersey Legislature, March 7, 2016:The Rebovich Institute hosted an event, Celebrating Women in the New Jersey Legislature, which featured a panel discussion with Senator Linda Greenstein (D), Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz (R), Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R) and Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D). The discussion was moderated by Hon. Cathleen Lewis, Councilwoman of Lawrence Township.

The event honored both Women's History Month and 150 years of women at Rider University.

A video of the event is now available. 

An Evening with Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, March 1, 2016: Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, who served as New Jersey State Treasurer under Gov. Chris Christie from January 2010 until July 2015, visited Rider to discuss the challenges of managing New Jersey's budget. 

A video of the event is now available. 

A behind-the-scene look at the NJ Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee, Feb. 11, 2016: The Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics hosted a behind-the-scene look at the NJ Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee (DACC), the nation’s most successful legislative campaign organization.

Mike Muller Tom Bonier, Jennifer Taylor and Mickey Quinn visited Rider's Lawrenceville campus for the discussion.

A video of the event is now available.

The program was part of the ongoing Campaign Managers Conference series produced by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.

The Moral Case for Capitalism: An Evening with Dinesh D'Souza, Feb. 2, 2016: More than 600 guests joined Dinesh D’Souza at Rider University for a discussion of "The Moral Case for Capitalism." 

Presented by The Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, the event touched on what D'Souza sees as the central ideas that split Republicans and Democrats. D'Souza, a writer, scholar, public intellectual and former policy analyst in the Reagan White House, is well known for his provocative books and documentaries, which he said contained "secret knowledge" of political figures such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

After his talk, D'Souza stayed for a lengthy Q&A session with questions from the audience and, afterward, signed copies of his latest book and DVD.

A video of the event is now available.

The program was generously supported by The Hennessy Fund.

The Road to Trenton Runs through Rider: An Evening with Hon. John Wisniewski, Dec. 3, 2015: Hon. John Wisniewski visited Rider for a talk and Q&A. Wisniewski is an assemblyman, chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, and possible candidate for New Jersey governor

A video of the event is now available.

Report from Washington, D.C.: An Evening with Hon. Tom MacArthur, Nov. 23, 2015: The Republican congressman from New Jersey's 3rd congressional district visited Rider for a discussion and Q&A.

A video of the event is now available.

The Prize: An Evening with Author Dale Russakoff, Oct. 28, 2015: The author of The Prize: Who's In Charge of America's Schools? visited Rider to discuss her book, which tells the inside story of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's $100 million gift to transform Newark's schools, and what it accomplished and what it didn't.

A video of the event is now available.

An Evening with Hon. Raymond Lesniak, Oct. 19, 2015: State Senator Raymond Lesniak, the chairman of Senate Economic Growth Committee and possible candidate for Governor of New Jersey visited Rider.

A video of the event is now available.

This appearance was part of the ongoing Governing New Jersey series produced by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.

An Evening With Hon. James E. McGreevey, Sept. 28, 2015: Former New Jersey Governor of New Jersey and executive director of the Jersey City Employment & Training Program James E. McGreevey visited Rider for a talk and Q&A.

A video of the event is now available.

The appearance was part of the ongoing Governing New Jersey series produced by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.

An Evening with Hon. Steven M. Fulop, April 1, 2015: Steven M. Fulop, mayor of Jersey City, N.J., visited Rider as part of the ongoing Governing New Jersey series produced by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.

A video of the event is now available.

The Challenges of Homeland Security: A New Jersey Perspective, Feb. 9, 2015: New Jersey Office of Homeland Security & Preparedness Director Chris Rodriguez appeared at Rider to discuss “The Challenges of Homeland Security: A New Jersey Perspective.” 

The appearance was part of the ongoing Governing New Jersey series produced by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.

An Evening with Adam Geller, Dec. 3, 2014: Prominent Republican pollster Adam Geller visited Rider University as part of the ongoing Governing New Jersey series produced by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics. 

Watch a video of the Adam Geller event here.

An Evening with Philip D. Murphy, Nov. 13, 2014: Murphy visited Rider as part of the ongoing Governing New Jersey series produced by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.

Murphy, the former U.S. ambassador to Germany and founder of New Start New Jersey, is considered a potential candidate for New Jersey governor in 2016.

Watch a video of the Philip D. Murphy event here.

An Evening with Jeff Bell, New Jersey’s Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Oct. 8, 2014: Jeff Bell, New Jersey’s Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, visited Rider for remarks and question-and-answer session. The event, which was free and open to the public, took place in the Mercer Room in Daly Dining Hall on Rider’s Lawrenceville campus.

An Evening with Hon. Vincent Prieto, New Jersey General Assembly Speaker, Sept. 23, 2014: New Jersey General Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto visited Rider to discuss the current state of politics.

"To advise current Rider University students on their political futures, New Jersey General Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto looked to his past,” The Trenton times wrote in an article about the event. “And the greatest lesson he’s learned over the years, he said, was the importance of striking a balance and maintaining a realistic view on situations.”

Watch a video of the Hon. Vincent Prieto event here.

An Evening with Hon. Ed Rendell, Former Governor of Pennsylvania, April 1, 2014: Gov. Ed Rendell visited Rider to discuss the future of American politics.

An Evening with Daniel Gross, March 11, 2014: Daniel Gross, global business editor at The Daily Beast and New York Times bestselling author, visited Rider to discuss "Why America's Economy Isn't as Messed Up as You Think."

Take a look at a slideshow from the visit.

Watch a video of the Daniel Gross event here.

An Evening with Hon. Jon Bramnick, New Jersey Assembly Republican Leader, March 5, 2014: Assembly Republican leader Jon Bramnick spoke to an audience at Rider on March 5 about leadership and comedy. Distinguished attendees included Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno and New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner James Simpson.

View photos from the event.

Watch a video of the Hon. Jon Bramnick event here.

An Evening with U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance, Dec. 5, 2013: U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-7) delivered "A Report from Washington, D.C." to an audience at Rider University.

Watch a video of the U.S. Rep Leonard Lance event here.

An Evening with Steve Schmidt, Nov. 12, 2013: Steve Schmidt, senior advisor to the 2008 McCain for President campaign, spoke about "Marriage Equality, the GOP, and the Future of America" on Nov. 12, 2013, at Rider University.

Watch a video of the Steve Schmidt event here.

An Evening with Hon. Barbara Buono, Oct. 22, 2013: Hon. Barbara Buono, Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor, spoke at Rider University.

Watch a video of the Hon. Barbara Buono event here.

An Evening with Steve Lonegan, Sept. 24, 2013: Hon. Steve Lonegan, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, spoke at Rider University.

An Evening with Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., April 3, 2013: The Rebovich Institute launched a new effort to bring all current members of New Jersey's congressional delegation to speak on campus. The first to come was Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-6). 

An Evening with Mayor Cory Booker, March 12, 2013: Newark (NJ) Mayor Cory Booker spoke at Rider University as a part of the Governing New Jersey series hosted by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics. Please note that, initially, there were some issues with the lighting of the theater. Though these were quickly resolved, the video can be dark at some points. 

An Evening with Hon. Thomas H. Kean Jr., March 6, 2013: The Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics presented An Evening with Hon. Thomas H. Kean Jr., Republican leader, New Jersey State Senate.

Watch a video of the Hon. Thomas H. Kean Jr. event here.

5th annual Rebovich Campaign Managers Conference, Feb. 15, 2013: The Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics hosted its 5th annual Campaign Managers Conference. This year, three panels with top campaign insiders reviewed the November 2012 election between Hon. Bob Menendez (D) and Hon. Joe Kyrillos (R) for the United States Senate.

The three panels were:

• "Campaign Polling" with Adam Geller (Kyrillos campaign) and Steve DeMicco (Menendez campaign)

• "Campaign Management" with Chapin Fay (Kyrillos campaign) and Mike Soliman (Menendez campaign)

• "Campaign Media" with Larry Weitzner (Kyrillos campaign) and Brad Lawrence (Menendez campaign)

The Unelected Governors: An Evening with Hon. Richard J. Codey and Hon. Donald T. DiFrancesco, Dec. 3, 2012: The Rebovich Institute hosted The Unelected Governors: An Evening with Hon. Richard J. Codey and Hon. Donald T. DiFrancesco. 

• Prior to 2010, whenever the New Jersey Governor was out-of-state or had to leave office (resignation, illness, etc.), the state Senate President took over, while still remaining state Senate President.

• Sen. DiFrancesco became Gov. DiFrancesco when Gov. Christine Todd Whitman left for the Bush administration in 2001 He served through Jan. 2002.

• Sen. Codey became Governor Codey when Gov. Jim McGreevey left office in 2004. He served through Jan. 2006. He served as Acting Governor again in 2007 during Gov. Jon Corzine's recovery from a car crash.

• Both men led a state of 8 million people having only been elected by a few thousand voters in their local districts. Their experiences were the focus of this program.

A Debate for New Jersey's 12th Congressional District between Rep. Rush Holt (D) and Eric Beck (R) , Oct. 17, 2012: GOP challenger Eric Beck and U.S. Rep. Rush Holt debated at Rider.

Governing New Jersey: Hon. Christine Todd Whitman, Oct. 3, 2012: Hon. Christine Todd Whitman, former New Jersey Governor, spoke at Rider University as a part of The Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics' ongoing Governing New Jersey series. 

Governing New Jersey: Hon. Stephen M. Sweeney, Sept. 24, 2012: The Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics hosted Hon. Stephen M. Sweeney, New Jersey State Senate President, as part of its Governing New Jersey series. 

A Conversation with U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, April 11, 2012: The Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics held a conversation with U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg.

An Evening with Karl Rove, April 2, 2012: Karl Rove, former Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush, Fox News contributor, and Wall Street Journal columnist spoke at Rider.

Governing New Jersey: Hon. Jim Florio, March 22, 2012: Former New Jersey Governor Jim Florio spoke at Rider as a part of its ongoing Governing New Jersey series.

Governing New Jersey: Hon. Sheila Oliver, Feb. 27, 2012: The Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly, Hon. Sheila Oliver, spoke at Rider University on February 27, 2012, as a part of our ongoing Governing New Jersey series. 

Fourth Annual Campaign Managers Conference, Feb. 17, 2012: The fourth annual Campaign Managers Conference was hosted by the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics. The conference brought together campaign insiders from both sides of the race for state Senate in Legislative District 38 between incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Gordon and Bergen County Freeholder Director John Driscoll.