A Message From the Director

Dear Friends of Eagleton,

As the holidays near, the Eagleton Institute of Politics is marking the end of a full semester and looking ahead to a milestone year – our 70th anniversary. Once again, our Institute supported our students, the Rutgers community, and New Jersey residents in navigating the 2025 state elections. In 2026, our 70th anniversary will serve as an opportunity not only to celebrate our Institute’s unique expertise at linking the study of politics with the practice of politics but to extend the reach and vitality of civic learning and democratic engagement.

All eyes were on New Jersey this fall, and it was Eagleton’s scholarship, educational programs, and outreach to the Rutgers community and beyond that helped get students to the polls, supported the public in understanding the context of the campaigns, and then engaged all of us in the transition to a new administration.

  • Throughout the campaign, the faculty of our Centers on the American Governor and Public Interest Polling offered their expertise in countless media outlets, including the New York Times, The Atlantic, ABC 7, the BBC, and the London Times.
  • In partnership with the Rutgers Democracy Lab at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, our RU Voting program registered over 400 students to vote and interacted with over 2,000 students this semester, encouraging them to register and get to the polls. Our RU Voting website and social media platforms were essential tools for informing and mobilizing voters – RU Voting’s Instagram post detailing polling locations had 35,913 views, and the RU Voting website had a total of 55,000 views over the course of the semester.
  • As the oldest and most comprehensive university-based center that studies women’s participation in American politics, the expertise of the Center for American Women and Politics was in great demand as New Jersey elected only its second woman as governor in 2025. Their event, “Shape New Jersey’s Future and Yours: Appointments to State Boards and Commissions,” hosted in partnership with the Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey, drew a large number of participants.
  • As always, it was in our classrooms where our most meaningful and uniquely-Eagleton civic learning and democratic engagement took place. This was perfectly exemplified by an exercise led by Professor Richard Bagger in his class examining the role of the governor and the gubernatorial transition, in which students presented their ideas for the New Jersey state government transition to Lieutenant Governor-Elect Dr. Dale Caldwell and Chief Counsel to Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill, Tim Lydon.

The Eagleton Institute of Politics was first-of-its-kind when founded in 1956, and we continue to be one-of-a-kind. Our 70th anniversary represents an opportunity to harness our history, our expertise, and our commitment to our mission and core values to lead the way to a “more perfect union.” It is a moment to build on the work our Institute started and share it with an even wider audience – empowering our students, our campus, and community to actively participate in shaping democracy. Please look for details in the New Year!

Until then, the Institute extends our best wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season. With you, we look forward to advancing the essential work of Eagleton – to study politics, to inspire engagement, and to improve democracy.

Best wishes,

Elizabeth C. Matto