Dear Friends of the Center for Youth Political Participation (CYPP),

With the announcement of the upcoming transition in leadership at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, CYPP wanted to recognize and express our deepest gratitude to our outgoing director Ruth B. Mandel. At its founding, Florence Peshine Eagleton urged that the Institute be dedicated to "the development of and education for responsible leadership in civic and governmental affairs and the solution of their political problems." This has been an abiding leadership principle throughout Ruth’s tenure as director and has fostered a culture among our faculty, staff, and students of deep commitment to our mission.

In countless ways, Ruth’s leadership has advanced the political learning and engagement of young adults not only on the Rutgers campus, but around the state and across the nation. From spearheading groundbreaking research on young elected leaders to working with me to found this Center, we have become a leading voice in civic engagement education and mobilization during Ruth’s tenure as director, imparting in young adults the knowledge, skills, and inclination to be informed and engaged democratic citizens.

The study and practice of American politics has been enhanced by the leadership of Ruth B. Mandel and has set a high standard for institutes and centers of politics across the country. With state elections coming up this fall and 2020 on the horizon, our efforts to foster youth political participation continue. We are eager to work with our incoming director John Farmer, an exemplar of public service and leadership. Inspired by her example and ongoing to commitment making democracy and its institution better, we offer Ruth our deepest thanks . . . onward!

With gratitude and admiration,