Renewing Illinois Summit | Paul Simon Public Policy Institute | SIU

Our 2022 Renewing Illinois Summit was held at the SIU Campus on September 29 and 30, 2022.

Download the 2022 Renewing Illinois Booklet.

To request a hard copy of the 2022 Renewing Illinois Booklet, please email us paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu.

We had planned to consider the One Illinois theme at our 2020 summit, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We invited Illinois General Assembly leadership to submit their perspectives on our guiding question: Is One Illinois a noble aspiration or impossible dream? We published those perspectives, along with historical and travel essays, in a Renewing Illinois Booklet. 

We also created an Illinois 101 Recommended Reading List — a collection of essential reading to gain a deeper understanding of our state.

Download the 2020 Renewing Illinois Booklet.

Our inaugural summit was held on March 28 and 29, 2019, with the theme Renewing Illinois: Ambitious Dreams and Practical Steps to Revive the Prairie State.

Thirty-five students from nine Illinois colleges and universities brought penetrating insights to create suggestions for reforms and renewal. Participants concluded that they see enormous potential here but are concerned Illinois has fallen into bad habits and has failed to position itself for the long-term. Read the 2019 Renewing Illinois Summit findings.

Download the 2019 Renewing Illinois Booklet.