| Founder(s) | Paul Simon |
|---|---|
| Established | 1997 |
| Mission | The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute acts on significant and controversial issues impacting Illinois, the United States and the world. The Institute focuses its efforts on fostering ethical conduct in government, opportunity and fair treatment for people in America and throughout the world, and promoting responsible citizenship for all Americans.[1] |
| Key people | John T. Shaw, Director |
| Slogan | Better Politics, Smarter Government |
| Formerly called | Public Policy Institute |
| Address | 1231 Lincoln Dr. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901 |
| Location | |
| Website | https://paulsimoninstitute.siu.edu |
The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute is located at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. It was founded by Paul Simon, a former two-term U.S. Senator from Illinois and one-time candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States. Opening in 1997, the Institute differentiates itself from similar organizations by working directly with elected officials and others to fashion and implement change in public policy.
The institute is bipartisan and sponsors many on-campus programs featuring state and local politicians, educators, entrepreneurs, and many others. Throughout the year, the institute hosts lectures and conferences around relevant topics featuring significant and controversial issues impacting the region, the state, the nation, and the world.
Located at SIUC, the Institute offers a variety of opportunities for students, including legislative internship programs and the Paul Simon Institute Ambassadors, which allows students to network and volunteer their time in assisting the Institute staff in outreach efforts to the campus and community.
The current director of the Institute is John T. Shaw, an author and journalist who for more than 20 years covered the United States Congress for Market News International, a global financial wire service. His published works include: JFK in the Senate: Pathway to the Presidency; Washington Diplomacy; The Ambassador: Inside the Life of a Working Diplomat; Richard G. Luger, Statesman of the Senate; and Rising Star, Setting Sun: Dwight D. Eisenhauer, John F. Kennedy, and the Presidential Transition that Changed America.
Previous directors include David Yepsen, who served from 2009 to 2016, and Mike Lawrence, who served as director from 2004 to 2008. Simon served as Institute director from 1997 to his death in 2003. Simon died in Springfield, Illinois following heart surgery at the age of 75 in 2003.