Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is stepping away from Congress but intends to remain active in the political sphere through a newly established institute at the University of California, Berkeley. The Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy, set to launch in January, aims to support research, offer undergraduate courses, provide summer internships, and host an annual forum for global thought leaders, university officials announced June 29.
Pelosi, who served 20 terms in the House of Representatives and was the first woman and first Californian to hold the speaker’s role, plans to co-teach a course on Congress alongside political science professor Eric Schickler. She described her post-Congress role as one still engaged in political advocacy, despite having less formal power outside the legislative arena.
“I have, shall we say, no power right now,” Pelosi said in a December interview, referencing the Republican-controlled House and President Donald Trump’s administration at the time. “I’ll have less when I’m not in Congress, but that doesn’t mean I’m without influence. There are many people outside the Congress, including I … who can be making the fight.”
Throughout her career, Pelosi was a key figure in passing major legislation such as the Affordable Care Act, managing the government’s response to the 2008 financial crisis, and opposing military action in Iraq. She was a pivotal ally to former President Barack Obama and later became a central opponent of President Donald Trump, leading the House through two impeachments during his first term—both of which ended in acquittal by the Senate.
Pelosi’s decision not to seek a 21st term drew mixed reactions. Trump called her “an evil woman” who did the country a service by retiring. The move also reportedly strained her relationship with President Joe Biden, after she pressed him to reconsider his bid for a second term; however, the two have since reconciled. Pelosi, now 86, framed her ongoing commitment to democracy in a written statement, citing Abraham Lincoln’s phrase “One Country, One Destiny” as her guiding principle.
The new institute has raised over $32 million in pledges toward a $50 million goal, with contributions from Pelosi and her husband, Paul, alongside prominent donors including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt, Dagmar Dolby, Fred Eychaner, Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine, George and Judy Marcus, Jon Stryker, Slobodan Randjelovic, and the Ron Conway family.
Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons emphasized the institute’s mission to strengthen democracy beyond academic study. Though described as nonpartisan, the initiative reflects Pelosi’s Democratic background and Berkeley’s progressive reputation. Its core focus areas include promoting human rights, civil rights, addressing climate change, and tackling economic inequality. The institute also seeks to foster political leadership that reflects a broad spectrum of perspectives and demographics in California and across the United States.