The USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, which includes the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, celebrates the lives of influential people whose contributions and dedication have made it possible to carry out our mission.
Dr. Larry Berg
1939 – 2013
Dr. Berg joined USC’s Department of Political Science in 1969 and co-founded the USC Jesse M. Unruh Institute.
Joseph R. Cerrell
1935 – 2010
Joseph R. Cerrell was a transformative figure in California and national politics, government, and public service.
Elizabeth Garrett
1963 – 2016
Elizabeth Garrett was Cornell University’s first woman president.
Kam Kuwata
1953 – 2011
Kam Kuwata was one of California’s leading Democratic political strategists.
Gloria Molina
1948 – 2023
Gloria Molina was the first Chicana elected to the California State Assembly and the first Latina to join the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Jesse M. Unruh
1922- 1987
Jesse M. Unruh rose from an impoverished childhood to be one of the most powerful people in California politics over the course of four decades.
Carmen Warschaw
1917 – 2012
Carmen Warschaw was a pioneering figure in national and California Democratic politics.