On December 20, 2023, the Zahava and Moshael Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought hosted Naomi Schaefer Riley, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), at Yeshiva University’s Beren Campus. She joined Straus Center Senior Scholar and Impact Director Dr. Tevi Troy for a wide-ranging conversation about her career in journalism, her ongoing policy work at AEI, and her love of public writing. 

Schaefer Riley’s interest in journalism began at home; she was the child of academics and her father frequently wrote letters to the editor. “I grew up in a house with a lot of debating of public policy issues,” she explained. Schaefer Riley attended Harvard College, where she studied English and Government. There, she began writing for a conservative student newspaper. “I became the editor,” said Schaefer Riley. “I really enjoyed that kind of writing.” 

After graduating from Harvard, Schaefer Riley initially assumed that she would pursue a career in academia, following in her parents’ footsteps. But while still in undergrad, she had doubts about pursuing a PhD, and soon changed course. “[After college] I got an internship at the Wall Street Journal where I fell in love with journalism,” Schaefer Riley reflected. “I did interviews, research - and there was a steep learning curve doing this kind of reporting. But I had great mentors, including Erich Eichman, who is still the Deputy Books Editor at the Wall Street Journal.” Schaefer Riley described her time at the Journal as “eye-opening,” and found herself “hooked on the idea of reporting and writing about religion,” when she started writing for their “Houses of Worship” column.

Straus Scholar Adina Feldman asked Schaefer Riley what kind of “pull” she found in writing that she didn’t find in academia. “Getting to interact with people, and not spending all my time in the library,” Schaefer Riley responded. “Three or four years into my journalism career, I got an email from [prominent Harvard professor] Harvey Mansfield saying that he liked my article, and it turned out I didn't need to go to graduate school after all."

From the Wall Street Journal, Schaefer Riley moved to Commentary Magazine, and then for several years she wrote books on religion and politics. Now, in addition to her public writing, she is also a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute where her research focuses on policies relating to child welfare. “It’s hard to get large swathes of the American public to care about child welfare,” Schaefer Riley explained, “you won't always see big pieces on this topic in the Journal. But I’m fortunate to be employed full time by AEI, where I can write and research, and place articles in smaller publications to influence public policy.”

Straus Scholar and YU Observer editor Ru Behamou asked Schaefer Riley how she interviews subjects with radically different opinions on issues of politics or policy. “Ask open-ended questions, and just listen to their perspectives,” Schaefer Riley suggested. “Some journalists argue with the people they're interviewing - that's a waste of time. The whole point is to incorporate [the interviewee’s] ideas. Offer your readers the best sense of the other side - it’s important to speak to people who disagree with you and hear them out!”

To learn more about the YU Straus Center, click here.