Barack Obama to be guest of honor at Baker Institute’s 25th Anniversary Gala at Rice Nov. 27

MEDIA ADVISORY

David Ruth
713-348-6327
david@rice.edu

Jeff Falk
713-348-6775
jfalk@rice.edu

Barack Obama to be guest of honor at Baker Institute’s 25th Anniversary Gala at Rice Nov. 27

HOUSTON – (April 30, 2018) – The 44th president of the United States, the Honorable Barack Obama, will take part in a moderated conversation at the 25th anniversary gala of Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy Nov. 27.

“2018 is a major milestone for the institute and for all our supporters and friends, without whom we could not have established this prominent public policy forum,” noted Baker Institute Director Edward Djerejian. He added, “With President Obama’s participation in our gala, the institute will have had the privilege of hosting every living former president since its inception.”

The event will highlight the Baker Institute’s 25th anniversary year under the theme “A Quarter Century: Making History.” The gala will be an invitation-only celebration for Baker Institute supporters and special guests. Ticket information and additional event details will be announced closer to the event date.

As part of its 25th anniversary, the Baker Institute is scheduling distinguished speaker events and conferences this spring and fall featuring its major research centers and programs. In recent years, the institute has created and strengthened specific centers and programs that address key public policy issues, including the Center for Energy Studies, Center for Health and Biosciences, Center for the Middle East, Mexico Center, Center for Public Finance, McNair Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Presidential Elections Program and Drug Policy Program. A list of the Baker Institute’s 25th anniversary commemorative programs is available at www.bakerinstitute.org/calendar-of-25th-anniversary-commemorative-events.

Questions about the gala should be addressed to Christene Kimmel, director of development for special projects, at 713-348-2136 or ckimmel@rice.edu.

For information about becoming a Baker Institute Roundtable member, visit www.bakerinstitute.org/join-the-baker-roundtable or contact Chetna Cates at 713-348-4945 or ccates@rice.edu.

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Founded in 1993, Rice University’s Baker Institute ranks among the top three university-affiliated think tanks in the world. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. The institute’s strong track record of achievement reflects the work of its endowed fellows, Rice University faculty scholars and staff, coupled with its outreach to the Rice student body through fellow-taught classes — including a public policy course — and student leadership and internship programs. Learn more about the institute at www.bakerinstitute.org or on the institute’s blog, http://blogs.chron.com/bakerblog.

Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,910 undergraduates and 2,809 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for best quality of life and for lots of race/class interaction by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. To read “What they’re saying about Rice,” go to http://tinyurl.com/RiceUniversityoverview.