Applied Public Policy

FOR INFORMATION: Claudia Winkler Director, Marketing and Communications The Riley Institute at Furman University 864.294.3368; claudia.winkler@furman.edu FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2027 OneSouthCarolina Award Winners Announced by The Riley Institute at Furman University GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Riley Institute at Furman University has announced the recipients of the 2027 OneSouthCarolina Awards, recognizing...Read more

By: Melissa Charles  The Riley Institute Summer Experience (RISE) connects Furman students with Upstate organizations working on Greenville’s most pressing challenges. For 10 weeks each summer, RISE interns work full time with host organizations, building professional skills while expanding their host’s capacity for community impact. Thanks to the high-quality work, fresh perspectives, and innovative insights these...Read more

Furman University President Elizabeth Davis will be recognized by the Greenville Drive Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Fluor Field as the 2026 Green Day Honoree. Green Day represents Greenville’s unofficial birthday when the Greenville Drive and city officials gather to celebrate the things that make Greenville exceptional. Davis, who will...Read more

Reams of public school data are published every year in South Carolina, so finding a specific piece of information is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Until now. Two online data tools aim to make it easier for everyone to parse the glut of information and render it...Read more

In a commentary appearing in The Post and Courier, Amy Keely and Claudia Winkler of The Riley Institute at Furman University, ask, “Are students truly prepared for college and careers? Do our systems work together to ensure their success?”Read more

For Information: Kelly Gregory Director for Public Education Projects and Partnerships The Riley Institute at Furman University kelly.gregory0@furman.edu   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Riley Institute Launches South Carolina Education Data Tool to Expand Access to School Performance Insights GREENVILLE, S.C. — May 21, 2026 — The Riley Institute at Furman...Read more

The Riley Institute now houses the South Carolina Education Data Tool, a powerful data visualization platform that aggregates South Carolina School Report Card data into one interactive play space. Data that required a lot of manual input, selection, and toggling to compare and draw broader insights from are now all...Read more

The post Kelly Gregory: A Life Shaped by Classrooms appeared first on The Riley Institute.Read more

by Melissa Charles Not every student experiences school in the same way, and oftentimes, public education works best when it meets students where they are. The Riley Institute for Public Policy and Civic Leadership is applying that approach through leadership education at Greenville County Schools’ High School Alternative Program (HSAP)....Read more

As parents rush to find summer programs for their children, Furman University’s Amy Keely and Zelda Waymer write an opinion piece in The Post and Courier about the importance of supporting out-of-school-time programs in South Carolina. Keely, director of S.C. Afterschool Leaders Empowered at Furman’s Riley Institute,...Read more

Grace Guillaume ’26 couldn’t see herself as a leader when she first came to Furman University, but becoming a Paladin changes things. Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, Guillaume knew she wanted to pursue a career in law. She had several friends who had to navigate civil law proceedings while...Read more

March 31, 2026 What if a single school disciplinary decision could shape the rest of a student’s life? For thousands of young people across the United States, that’s the reality. A suspension, an arrest, or even a brief encounter with law enforcement at school can set off a chain reaction—one...Read more

by Amy Keely and Cathy Stevens When we talk about youth crime and risky behavior, the conversation often centers on consequences—what happens after something goes wrong. But what if we focused instead on prevention? What if we invested more in the hours, relationships, and environments that shape young people before...Read more

The post Amy Keely: Creating Lift for Communities appeared first on The Riley Institute.Read more

FOR INFORMATION: Claudia Winkler Director, Marketing and Communications The Riley Institute at Furman University 864.294.3368; claudia.winkler@furman.edu FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Kids On Point Selected as 2026 Dick and Tunky Riley WhatWorksSC Award Winner Greenville, S.C. – Kids On Point has been named the winner of the 2026 Dick and Tunky Riley...Read more