Paul Simon and students at the Illinois Statehouse. After Simon lost the Democratic primary for governor in 1972, he joined the faculty of Sangamon State University, and established the Public Affairs Reporting Program. The program is now nationally recognized as a first-rate master's program that trains journalists about how to cover government, particularly Illinois state government. Simon was also one of three co-founders of Illinois Issues magazine, which was first published in 1975.

Simon left SSU to resume his political career: he served as a U.S Representative 1975-1985, U.S. Senator 1985-1997, and was a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries in 1988.