| Representative Steve Sviggum will join Humphrey Institute as Senior Fellow  The Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs welcomes Representative Steve Sviggum
(R–Kenyon) as a senior fellow in the Center
for the Study of Politics and Governance. He will conduct research primarily
on legislative leadership, the legislative process, and political ethics reform.
Sviggum will begin June 1.
“Steve Sviggum is a well-respected and longtime servant of the state of
Minnesota. We are honored to have him as a member of the Institute,” said
Humphrey Institute Dean J.
Brian Atwood. “We strive to teach our students the importance of civil
political discourse, and Representative Sviggum will show our students how important
ethics and integrity are to our political system.”
Sviggum was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1978.
He served as House Minority Leader from 1993 to 1998 and later as Speaker of
the House from 1999 to 2007, during which time he served on the board of directors
for the National Speakers Conference. He and his family reside in Kenyon, Minnesota,
where they also maintain a family farm.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to join the Humphrey Institute. This
incredible opportunity will not only allow me to combine my passion of teaching
with my love for public service, but it also will enable me to encourage our
future leaders to aspire to serve in public office for the betterment of Minnesota,”
said former Speaker Steve Sviggum. “Advocating for public policy and serving
in public office are two fine ways to give back to our communities, and I am
humbled to be joining such a fine academic institution as the Humphrey Institute.”
“We welcome Speaker Sviggum’s contributions to the nonpartisan work
of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance as we seek to develop
practical solutions to the pressing political and policy challenges that face
Minnesota,” said Lawrence
Jacobs, director of the center.
The Humphrey Institute regularly invites former elected officials and other
distinguished individuals from outside the University who can make meaningful
contributions to the Institute’s research, teaching, and outreach programs
as senior fellows.
These fellows include practitioners and policymakers with a significant national
or international reputation in some field of public affairs. Most recently,
former State Senator Stephen
Kelley joined the Center for Science, Technology, and Public Policy.
The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance strives to increase public
understanding of politics through research by conducting studies relevant to
Minnesota policymakers and legislators throughout the Upper Midwest and serving
as a resource to the media and citizens on important policy issues. The center
also regularly hosts public events and programs to promote an informed and engaged
citizenry. For more information, visit www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/cspg/.
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