Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service

As we head into the spring semester home stretch, our 2026 Cal-in-Sacramento cohort had the chance to learn from a panel of recent program alums and gain insight and tips to make the most of their summer in the state capital! 🐻🎓

And with that…Day 2 of our 2026 Democracy Camp in Berkeley program is complete!

Spending the day in Sacramento speaking to a wide array of legislative staff, advocates, and leadership really highlighted how public service leadership is transforming at a fundamental level in order to respond to these unprecedented times. It was so inspiring to hear a consistent theme of making government MORE responsive and accessible to the needs and voices of all people, and especially those who are underrepresented.

We want to thank all of our phenomenal and inspiring speakers for taking the time to connect with us and make this day so impactful!

Closing out Day 1 of our 2026 Democracy Camp in Berkeley program was a moving and grounding conversation about the timely work being done at East Bay Sanctuary Covenant - we’re grateful to the team that joined us for their dedication to supporting underrepresented communities and for their insights on what resilient direct community action looks like in these unprecedented times.

After a morning filled with workshops on networking and learning how to moderate discussions with speakers, we had our first workshop with the incomparable !

Democracy Camp in Berkeley is underway! We’re excited to share updates about our fellows’ journey exploring state and local government public service throughout our spring break! .silva.ros

IGS and the Bancroft Library are pleased to announce that Barbara Lee, Mayor of Oakland and Former U.S. Representative for California's 12th District, will be in conversation with former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer as the 2026 Barbara Boxer Lecturer.

The 2026 Boxer Lecture, "City, State, and Nation", will be a thoughtful conversation between Mayor Lee and Former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer with a focus on women in public service leadership, where they will discuss Mayor Lee’s distinguished lifetime of public service, including her leadership and accomplishments at all levels of government, what her experience has been since becoming Mayor of Oakland, especially in these turbulent times, and advice she has for the newest generation of public service leaders and for members of our polity who are concerned about the state of American democracy.

About the Speaker:
Barbara Lee made history in 2025 as the first Black woman elected Mayor of Oakland, bringing over three decades of public service from the U.S. Congress and California State Legislature to City Hall. Throughout her career, Mayor Lee has fought tirelessly for justice, opportunity, and the communities who need it most.

Oakland is her home, and she understands firsthand the challenges residents face. Since taking office, Mayor Lee has been advancing her vision to make Oakland the safest, cleanest, and greenest city in America. She leverages her extensive federal, state, and local relationships to secure real resources and deliver solutions to the city's most pressing issues - from homelessness to public safety.

Mayor Lee believes that building a stronger Oakland requires all of us working together. She is committed to collaborating with community leaders, neighborhood organizations, businesses, and residents from every corner of the city to create opportunity and improve quality of life for all Oaklanders.

The Barbara Boxer Lecture is an annual event, sponsored jointly by the Institute of Governmental Studies and The Bancroft Library, that focuses on women in leadership. This event is co-sponsored by the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service.

Register via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/city-state-and-nation-a-conversation-with-mayor-barbara-lee-tickets-1984968258495

This past Tuesday, the Institute of Governmental Studies hosted the 2026 Matsui Lecture, welcoming former U.S. Representative Charlie Dent for a timely, yet grounding conversation on how to reclaim congressional power through bipartisan consensus-building during an unprecedented period of executive overreach and global strife.

We were especially grateful for the opportunity our Matsui Center Fellows had to connect directly with Rep. Dent during his visit to the Institute, gaining firsthand insights into congressional leadership while he shared candid insights from his years in public service and spoke about the challenges of governing in today’s political climate.

Following the lecture, fellows and students also had the chance to continue the conversation with Congresswoman Doris Matsui at the afternoon reception. We are especially thankful for her steadfast support of the Matsui Lecture and the Matsui Center. Her mentorship and commitment to bipartisan dialogue continue to inspire the next generation of public service leaders and remind us that bridging divides remains essential to strengthening our democracy.

The landscape of American politics is shifting faster than ever, making it essential that the next generation of public policy researchers and experts have the tools and expertise to ask critical, nuanced, and insightful questions that track and understand how our democracy is evolving in order to serve its people. Each year, the Institute of Governmental Studies awards four undergraduates with the Charles H. Percy Undergraduate Grant for Public Affairs Research and three graduates with the Mike Synar Graduate Research Fellowship to pursue research projects on an aspect of American politics, ranging from public opinion and electoral behavior to social movements and civic engagement.

Please join us on Friday, February 27th in the IGS Library, as we congratulate the 2026 recipients of the Percy-Synar Awards and hear as each recipient offers a brief presentation about their research project. This year's research projects will tackle issues of civic engagement and education among Filipino American and Latine communities, the influences of Christian rhetoric on perceptions of social welfare, the tensions of overlapping jurisdictional enforcement across private properties along the Southwest U.S. border, the asymmetry of ideologically driven grievance politics and its role in maintaining a Conservative voting coalition, and the historical, cultural, and societal trends contributing to the formation of a "New Muslim Left" in contemporary U.S. politics. Swipe to learn more about our amazing recipients!

2026 Percy-Synar Awards Ceremony
📆 Friday, February 27, 2026
🕛 2:00pm-3:15pm;
📍Institute of Governmental Studies Library,
109 Philosphy Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720
***Please Register via Eventbrite at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-percy-synar-awards-ceremony-tickets-1977671560876

**THE CEREMONY IS A HYBRID EVENT THAT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM**

Christian identity plays a prominent role in contemporary conservative politics. There is a surrounding debate on whether political positions commonly associated with Christian nationalism are rooted in theological belief or shaped primarily by partisan identity, cultural norms, and familial upbringing. This project seeks to clarify whether Christian political attitudes reflect engagement with biblical teachings or whether scripture has become secondary to political identity. By integrating experimental and qualitative methods, this project captures both the measurable effects of scriptural framing and the lived experiences that give those effects meaning.

Please join us on February 27th for the 2026 Percy/Synar Awards, where Abigail Francisco ‘26 (Political Science, Rhetoric) will present “Scripture and the Welfare State: How Christian Rhetoric Influences Social Welfare Attitudes Among Americans.” Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-percy-synar-awards-ceremony-tickets-1977671560876

2026 Percy/Synar Awards
📆 Friday, February 27, 2026
🕛 2:00pm-4pm
📍IGS Library, 109 Philosophy Hall

The landscape of American politics is shifting faster than ever, making it essential that the next generation of public policy researchers and experts have the tools and expertise to ask critical, nuanced, and insightful questions that track and understand how our democracy is evolving in order to serve its people. Each year, the Institute of Governmental Studies awards four undergraduates with the Charles H. Percy Undergraduate Grant for Public Affairs Research and three graduates with the Mike Synar Graduate Research Fellowship to pursue research projects on an aspect of American politics, ranging from public opinion and electoral behavior to social movements and civic engagement.

Please join us on Friday, February 27th in the IGS Library, as we congratulate the 2026 recipients of the Percy-Synar Awards and hear as each recipient offers a brief presentation about their research project. This year's research projects will tackle issues of civic engagement and education among Filipino American and Latine communities, the influences of Christian rhetoric on perceptions of social welfare, the tensions of overlapping jurisdictional enforcement across private properties along the Southwest U.S. border, the asymmetry of ideologically driven grievance politics and its role in maintaining a Conservative voting coalition, and the historical, cultural, and societal trends contributing to the formation of a "New Muslim Left" in contemporary U.S. politics. Swipe to learn more about our amazing recipients!

2026 Percy-Synar Awards Ceremony
📆 Friday, February 27, 2026
🕛 2:00pm-3:15pm;
📍Institute of Governmental Studies Library,
109 Philosphy Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720
***Please Register via Eventbrite at this link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-percy-synar-awards-ceremony-tickets-1977671560876

**THE CEREMONY IS A HYBRID EVENT THAT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO ATTEND VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM**