Center pairs Democrat Peters with Republican strategist Murphy as co-director
The University of Southern California announced Monday that retiring Michigan Sen. Gary Peters will serve as the Warschaw Chair at USC Dornsife’s Center for the Political Future, working alongside Republican strategist Mike Murphy as the center’s co-director.
Peters, in a statement released by the university, described the appointment as “a capstone of my years in public service at the local, state and federal level.” He said the work of bringing people together has “never been more important” and that there is “no better place to start than working with students and getting them engaged in civic activism.”
James Bullock, dean of USC Dornsife, said in a statement that Peters brings “an extraordinary combination of public service, bipartisan leadership and real experience getting things done in Washington.” Bullock said Peters “has spent his career showing that you can hold strong political convictions and still work productively with people who see the world differently,” and that he is “especially excited about what his leadership will make possible for our students, both in Los Angeles and in Washington.”
Peters is serving his second term in the U.S. Senate and announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election. His term ends in January as former Rep. Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican, and Democrat Abdul El Sayed compete in November’s midterm elections to succeed him.
Peters began his professional career as an educator at several Michigan institutions, including Michigan State University, before first entering government in 2008, when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.