The Sine Institute of Policy & Politics at American University 2024 class of Spring Fellows and Distinguished Lecturers brings together changemakers from government, business, space exploration, foreign policy, advocacy, and the media. The sixth group of Sine Fellows and Lecturers will engage with the AU community in meaningful conversations about the most urgent issues of today and empower students, faculty, staff, and alumni in their own changemaking pursuits.

The 2024 Sine Institute Fellows are:

• Hon. Larry Hogan, 62nd Governor of Maryland; Former Chair, National Governors Association
• Hon. Thomas R. Nides, Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel; Former Managing Director, COO, and Vice Chairman, Morgan Stanley
• Daniella Senior, CEO and Founder, Colada Shop; Owner, Serenata & Zumo; Co-Founder, Bresca; State Department Culinary Ambassador
• Hon. Manisha Singh, Founder and Principal, Sunstone Strategy Group; Former Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Economics and Business Affairs; Nominee to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the OECD, AU WCL ‘96
• Kara Swisher, Host, On With Kara Swisher; Co-Host, Pivot for New York Magazine; Contributor, CNN
• Patrice Willoughby, Senior Vice President, Global Policy and Impact, NAACP

The Sine Institute also welcomed as Distinguished Lecturers NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, who is a former NASA astronaut and retired United States Air Force officer, and Jim Sciutto, CNN’s Chief National Security Analyst and anchor, CNN Newsroom with Jim Sciutto.

“Where else can you engage with and learn from a former governor, ambassador, astronaut, entrepreneur and more -- all in one academic year?” said AU President Sylvia M. Burwell. “American University’s Sine Institute for Policy and Politics brings together thought leaders with a wide range of perspectives to engage on our world’s most pressing issues. The 2024 Sine fellows and distinguished lecturers all have one thing in common – they are changemakers with unparalleled expertise and continuing impact. We are excited to welcome them to the AU community and look forward to an engaging year of convening, communicating, and collaborating.”

As a non-partisan platform for policy innovation and discussion of some of the world’s most pressing challenges, the Sine Institute plays an essential role in American University’s commitment to prepare the next generation of changemakers. The Institute was made possible through a $10 million gift from AU alumnus, trustee, and entrepreneur Jeff Sine, SIS/BA ’76, and Samira Sine, respected journalist and advocate for women and children. The Sine’s gift was a milestone in American University’s Change Can’t Wait campaign, which has raised $444 million to date.

“This year’s cohort of Fellows and Distinguished Lecturers will bring their unique perspectives, visions, and experiences to campus as they engage with students and the AU community,” said Amy K. Dacey, executive director of the Sine Institute of Policy & Politics. “I am grateful to them for taking on the challenge of helping to inspire a new generation of citizens, policymakers, and changemakers, and I look forward to another successful semester of engaging and productive conversations.”

The 2024 cohort of Sine Institute Fellows will convene conversations on issues that include civility, collaboration, immigration and food policy, crisis communications, social justice, democracy, the past, present, and future of tech policy, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the future of the workforce, the global workforce, and more.

“I’m thrilled that the outstanding cohort of 2024 Sine Institute Fellows and Distinguished Lecturers will be able to share their time, knowledge, and unique experiences with students and the American University community,” said Jeff Sine. “These leaders will bring diverse perspectives to conversations on today’s most pressing topics. They’ll also foster engaging dialogue that we hope will lead to opened minds, new ideas, and actionable solutions to our nation’s and the world’s biggest problems. I thank each of the Fellows and Distinguished Lecturers for their commitment to the Sine Institute and I look forward to each of their contributions.”

The new Fellows will be introduced to the AU community, the media, and the public at large during a special event on February 1, 2024.

More information about the Sine Institute’s programming, previous Fellows, lecturers, and upcoming opportunities is available here.