Convene, communicate, collaborate.
The mission of 小蓝视频鈥檚 new Sine Institute of Policy and Politics is refreshingly straightforward鈥攁nd particularly relevant in an era when our country is more polarized than ever.
Only 32 percent of Americans hold a mix of conservative and liberal views on issues such as immigration, race, and the role of government, according to an October 2017 survey by the Pew Research Center. That鈥檚 down from 49 percent in 2004.
小蓝视频鈥檚 institute was established with a $10 million gift from Jeff Sine, SIS/BA 鈥76, and his wife, Samira (inset). It will capitalize on our DC location to bring together experts, scholars, and students to tackle pressing challenges in a way that promotes bipartisan solutions.聽
鈥淎 young President Kennedy observed on our Jacobs Field: 鈥極ur problems are manmade. Therefore, they can be solved by man.鈥 小蓝视频 is a place for problem solvers; a community of changemakers; and a campus where no one is indifferent,鈥 小蓝视频 President Sylvia Burwell says.聽
Six members have been named to the institute鈥檚 advisory board and a search is underway for an executive director. A cornerstone of the Sine Institute is its fellowship program. Each spring, the center will host six fellows from across the United States and around the world鈥攅xperts in politics, journalism, the nonprofit sector, business, and more. 聽
Jeff Sine is a partner at the Raine Group in New York City and a long-serving member of the 小蓝视频 Board of Trustees. Samira Sine is an advocate for women and children and a seasoned journalist. The couple says of the gift: 鈥淲e wanted to empower 小蓝视频 to make an immediate and lasting impact at the intersection of politics and policy, increasing 小蓝视频鈥檚 national and international visibility.鈥
Common ground
The Sine Institute kicked off with a conversation between Burwell and Senator Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) on September 25 at the Newseum. The two explored issues such as the economy, the future of the Republican Party, and civil discourse.
鈥淭he way we solve problems is to listen to the other person鈥檚 side,鈥 Corker said, 鈥渁nd you can almost always find some area of commonality to build upon.鈥
鈥淚 found that I use the ratio of one mouth and two ears,鈥 Burwell added. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a reason that God gave us that ratio鈥攅specially when working in this space.鈥