University of Chicago Institute of Politics

The Institute of Politics is an extracurricular, nonpartisan institute at the University of Chicago designed to inspire students to pursue careers in politics and public service. It was formally established in 2013 with David Axelrod, who was President Barack Obama's chief campaign advisor, as its director.

In its first 18 months, the IOP hosted prominent speakers including Joe Biden, Mitt Romney, Rand Paul, Al Gore, Rick Santorum, John McCain and Newt Gingrich; hosted fellows such as Beth Myers, Michael Steele, Roger Simon, Husain Haqqani, Matthew Dowd, Howard Wolfson, and Mark Udall. It has arranged over 250 student internships to institutions like the U.S. Capitol, the Brookings Institution, and the White House, and placed over 300 students in civic engagement projects.