The University of California, Berkeley is launching a new institute named after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy is a nonpartisan institute dedicated to strengthening American democracy. According to its mission statement, the institute will "honor and carry on the legacy of Speaker Pelosi, the first Californian and first woman to serve as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives."
Pelosi, who will leave Congress in January, is expected to teach courses, help raise money for the institute, and contribute financially herself. The university has already secured $35 million in donations for the project but has not identified the donors.
The institute will initially offer undergraduate students a certificate program in public leadership, with plans to expand into a full major or minor. The program will also include visiting fellows, research opportunities, and a course co-taught by Pelosi and political science professor Eric Schickler.
Pelosi insisted the institute would rise above partisan politics, stating, "This is about civics, it's about the vision of our founders, it's about democracy." The institute's nonpartisan status has been emphasized by Berkeley officials, who reject suggestions that naming an institute after one of the Democratic Party's most recognizable figures amounts to political alignment.
The announcement comes as Berkeley remains under scrutiny from the Trump administration. Federal agencies have launched investigations into allegations of antisemitism and the university's handling of campus protests. However, the administration has not filed suit against Berkeley, as it has against Harvard and UCLA.
Pelosi said she expects Republicans to be invited to speak at the institute but suggested invitations would be limited to those who oppose Donald Trump. She emphasized the importance of patriotism and a shared vision for American democracy.
The institute joins a growing number of civics and public policy centers opening at universities across the country. It is not the only thing named after Pelosi ahead of her retirement; last year, the President announced plans to sell the Nancy Pelosi federal building in San Francisco due to soaring maintenance costs.
