The Candidates and America's Role in the World
2024-10-03 19:00 - 20:15 (America/Chicago) | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
With rising tensions in the Middle East, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and continuous challenges on the international stage by China and Russia, all eyes are focused on the candidates in this year’s elections, and how they view America’s role in the world. Dole Institute Visiting Fellow Jerry Seib will be joined by former Senator and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel to discuss where the candidates stand on the issues that impact our standing on the world stage.

Jerry Seib has been a journalist with The Wall Street Journal for almost 45 years. He served as the Journal’s Executive Washington Editor and wrote the weekly “Capital Journal” column for 29 years. He also reported from the Middle East for the Journal in the mid-1980s, covered the White House, has moderated three presidential debates, and interviewed every president since Ronald Reagan.

Chuck Hagel was the 24th Secretary of Defense, serving from February 2013 to February 2015. He is the only Vietnam veteran and the first enlisted combat veteran to serve as Secretary of Defense. Hagel served two terms in the United States Senate (1997-2009) representing the state of Nebraska. While in the Senate, he chaired and served on numerous committees, including the Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees, and Banking Committee’s subcommittees. He also served as the Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and the Senate Climate Change Observer Group. Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, Hagel was president of McCarthy & Company, an investment banking firm in Omaha. He also served as Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration under President Ronald Reagan. Hagel is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and has two children with his wife, Lilibet.

The Ticket-Splitting Voter
2024-10-09 16:00 - 17:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The United States remains politically polarized, but are some voters returning to ticket splitting? A look at whether voters are becoming more likely to support candidates from different parties and what that means for races across the country this November.

Jonathan Shorman is The Kansas City Star’s lead political reporter, covering Kansas and Missouri government. Shorman has spent more than a decade covering politics in both states, including previously at The Wichita Eagle. He was part of a team of Eagle reporters who won the 2019 George Polk Award for political reporting.
Dr. Russell Arben Fox is a professor of political science and the director of the History & Politics and the University Honors programs at Friends University, a small Christian liberal arts college in Wichita, KS, where he and his family have resided since 2006. Fox has published on a wide range of topics in political theory, world politics, and religion and politics, but since coming to Kansas has focused primarily on issues pertaining to urban and local democracy. He is a regular columnist with Insight Kansas, and frequently comments on state and municipal politics around Wichita and beyond.
Stephanie Sharp was first elected at 26, serving in the Kansas House of Representatives and on the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees. With over 20 years of Republican legislative and campaign experience, she created the VoteSharp.biz voter CRM for candidates to build and manage authentic voter relationships. She holds degrees from Southwestern College (Winfield, KS), a graduate degree in International Affairs from George Washington University, and is a frequent presenter on voter and policymaker engagement.

China in the Heartland: Building a Balanced Approach
2024-10-10 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
As China’s influence grows around the world, skepticism in the United States grows in tandem with it. Evidence of this is seen throughout the Heartland of America, where anti-China legislation and rhetoric have grown over the years. Professor Jack Zhang of the KU Department of Political Science will be joined by Susan Thornton, Vice Chair of the U.S. Heartland China Association and a retired senior U.S. diplomat with decades of experience in Eurasia and East Asia, and Kyle Jaros, an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame, for a discussion on building a balanced approach for relations with China.

This program is presented in partnership with the United States Heartland China Association and the KU Department of Political Science.

With support from the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations’ Public Intellectuals Program, which is generously funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Jack Zhang is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Kansas (KU) and director of the KU Trade War Lab. He is a Public Intellectuals Program fellow with the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations. He was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance at Princeton University in 2018-2019 and a Wilson China Fellow at the Wilson Center in 2021-2022. Dr. Zhang’s research explores the political economy of trade and conflict in East Asia. His newest projects investigate the determinants of U.S. foreign policy towards China, the politics of the U.S.-China Trade War, and the national security implications of economic interdependence with China.

Susan Thornton serves as Vice Chair of the U.S. Heartland China Association and is a retired senior U.S. diplomat with almost 30 years of experience with the U.S. State Department in Eurasia and East Asia. She is currently a senior fellow and research scholar at the Paul Tsai China Center at Yale University Law School; director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy; and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
Until July 2018, Thornton was acting assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State and led East Asia policymaking amid crises with North Korea, escalating trade tensions with China, and a fast-changing international environment. In previous State Department roles, she worked on U.S. policy toward China, Korea, and the former Soviet Union and served in leadership positions at U.S. embassies in Central Asia, Russia, the Caucasus, and China.
Thornton received her master’s in international relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and her bachelor’s from Bowdoin College in economics and Russian. She serves on several non-profit boards and speaks Mandarin and Russian.

Kyle Jaros is an associate professor of global affairs at the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. He is a faculty fellow of the Keough School’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies and the Pulte Institute for Global Development.
Jaros’s research explores the politics of urban and regional development, intergovernmental relations, and subnational foreign engagement with a focus on China. His first book, China’s Urban Champions: The Politics of Spatial Development, examines the policy logics and political factors driving uneven development in China’s provinces.
Before coming to Notre Dame, he was an associate professor in the political economy of China at the University of Oxford’s School of Global and Area Studies and held a China Public Policy Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Ash Center of the Harvard Kennedy School. Jaros earned a PhD and MA in political science from the Department of Government at Harvard University, and an AB in public and international affairs, and a certificate in Chinese language and culture from Princeton University. He also holds a graduate certificate in Chinese studies from the Hopkins-Nanjing Center for Chinese and American Studies.

The Growing Divide: Political Realignment in the Modern Era
2024-10-17 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
As this year’s momentous election campaign nears its climax, it is illustrating anew how the Democratic and Republican parties are undergoing profound ideological and demographic changes. Dole Institute Visiting Fellow Jerry Seib will be joined by Karen Tumulty, an associate editor and columnist at The Washington Post, for an overview of the campaign and how it is reshaping the nation’s political landscape for years to come.

Jerry Seib has been a journalist with The Wall Street Journal for almost 45 years. He served as the Journal’s Executive Washington Editor and wrote the weekly “Capital Journal” column for 29 years. He also reported from the Middle East for the Journal in the mid-1980s, covered the White House, has moderated three presidential debates, and interviewed every president since Ronald Reagan.

Karen Tumulty is an associate editor and columnist for The Post. In her previous role as a national political correspondent for the newspaper, she received the Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting. She joined The Post in 2010 from Time magazine, where she had held the same title. During her more than 15 years at Time, Tumulty wrote or co-wrote more than three dozen cover stories. She also held positions with Time as congressional correspondent and White House correspondent. Before joining Time in 1994, Tumulty spent 14 years at the Los Angeles Times, where she covered a wide variety of beats. During her time there, she reported on Congress, business, energy and economics from Los Angeles, New York and D.C. Tumulty is a native of San Antonio, where she began her career at the now-defunct San Antonio Light. Tumulty holds a bachelor of journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

The Battle for Congress
2024-10-23 16:00 - 17:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
As Democrats and Republicans compete for control of the House and Senate, a look at the themes driving races across the country and what to look for in November.

Jonathan Shorman is The Kansas City Star’s lead political reporter, covering Kansas and Missouri government. Shorman has spent more than a decade covering politics in both states, including previously at The Wichita Eagle. He was part of a team of Eagle reporters who won the 2019 George Polk Award for political reporting.
Natalie Andrews covers the Trump campaign for The Wall Street Journal. Before that she reported on the U.S. Congress, writing about House and Senate leaders and intraparty dynamics, as well as domestic policy and government spending legislation. She’s covered two presidential impeachments, the Democrats’ effort to win the House majority in the 2018 midterms, and the battle for Congress since. She joined the Journal in 2014 as a social media editor. Previously, Natalie worked at KSL News in Salt Lake City and for the San Diego Daily Transcript, a business daily. She grew up near Salt Lake City, Utah, where she fell in love with hiking and the outdoors.
Nathaniel Birkhead is an Associate Professor and Department Head of Kansas State University’s Department of Political Science and a University Distinguished Teaching Scholar. His research and teaching focuses on Congress and state legislatures, and the representational relationship between constituents and their elected officials.

Sandra Day O'Connor
2024-10-24 19:00 - 20:30 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The Dole Institute of Politics will award the 2024 Dole Leadership Prize to Sandra Day O’Connor, former Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court and founder of the nonprofit educational organization iCivics, at a public program on October 24 at 7 p.m. It is the first time the Institute has honored a recipient posthumously.
Scott O’Connor, the late justice’s eldest son, and Louise Dubé, Chief Executive Officer of iCivics, will accept the award and join Dole Institute Director Audrey Coleman for a conversation on the late justice’s life and legacy.
The program is free and open to the public—no reservations or tickets are required to attend. The program will also be live streamed on this page of the Institute’s website and on our YouTube Channel.

About Sandra Day O’Connor
Justice O’Connor’s trailblazing career in public service began in San Mateo, California, where she served as a county attorney for free after declining a paid position as a legal secretary, largely due to biases against women in the profession at the time. Her hard work and dedication led her to being offered the position of deputy county attorney.
She settled in Arizona with her husband, John Jay O’Connor, and formed a private practice with another attorney. O’Connor later entered public service in the state, eventually serving in various positions throughout all three branches of the Arizona state government.
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated O’Connor to fill a vacant position on the Supreme Court of the United States. Upon her confirmation, she became the first woman to serve on the high court and served on the bench for nearly a quarter of a century before announcing her retirement in 2006.
After leaving the bench, she founded iCivics, a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming civic education in childhood education through innovative, engaging games and resources. The organization now reaches some 9 million students annually, supporting more than 145,000 educators throughout the nation. In December 2023, she passed away at the age of 93.

About the Dole Leadership Prize
The Dole Leadership Prize is a bipartisan award presented to an individual or nonprofit whose public service leadership demonstrates the importance of and inspires others to be engaged in political and civic affairs. The award carries a $25,000 prize that is directed to the charity of the recipient’s choice.

How to Make Congress Work for the American People
2024-10-29 10:00 - 11:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Public frustration with Congress has been the status quo since the institution’s very first days. Many point to constant gridlock and high levels of partisanship as the main problems that have led to Congress’s recent decrepitude. While partisanship and gridlock does impact Congress’s ability to be a responsive and representative body, an often underdiscussed problem is that of the institution’s internal capacity. What resources does Congress need to effectively, efficiently, and transparently meet the needs of the American people? What incentives drive member behavior and how can the day-to-day workflow of the institution be altered to drive more bipartisan policymaking?

This program is presented in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Michael Thorning serves as the Director of Structural Democracy at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Prior to BPC, Thorning worked for Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall where he focused on campaign finance and election reform, Senate rules and congressional reform, and judiciary, civil rights, and civil liberties issues. Thorning has been a fellow of the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies at American University and is a member of the guest faculty of the University of New Mexico. Thorning earned his B.A. in political science with honors from the University of New Mexico and served as a Fred R. Harris Congressional Intern.
J.D. Rackey is the Senior Policy Analyst for Structural Democracy at the Bipartisan Policy Center. His research focuses on the politics and procedures of the U.S. Congress with an emphasis on congressional capacity and modernization. Rackey previously served as professional staff with the U.S. House of Representatives Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress and he’s a frequent adjunct faculty member at Georgetown University. Rackey earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Oklahoma and is a former American Political Science Association Public Service Fellow.

KUCCO Annual Trunk or Treat
2024-10-29 17:30 - 19:30 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join KU Center for Community Outreach and the Dole Institute of Politics for our annual Trunk or Treat! Located in the parking lot of the Dole Institute of Politics, all are welcome to join us for games, activities, and candy. Come in your best costume for a scary good time!

Congress in the 21st Century
2024-10-30 16:00 - 17:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
In partnership with the Association of the Former Members of Congress, the Dole Institute will welcome Democratic and Republican former members of Congress for “Congress in the 21st Century,” a three-part Discussion Groups series. Join us for an engaging program with two former members of Congress as they share insider insights from the campaign trail. The Fellows will cover key elements of successful congressional campaigns, including funding strategies, marketing techniques, and how to engage diverse voter demographics.
This series is supported by the Edward F. Reilly Endowed Fund, which supports public programming at the Dole Institute that explores the role of civil discourse and bipartisanship in contemporary politics. This fund has been made possible by a generous gift from Edward F. Reilly, Jr.

Cheri Bustos of Illinois has never lost an election – two for City Council and five for Congress. She just left office last year after service for a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives. For most of that time, she served in the Democratic House leadership. Her previous professional experience includes almost two decades as a journalist followed by a Vice President of Corporate Communications at a multi-billion-dollar, multi-state health system. She now is a partner and co-chair at Mercury Public Affairs.
Luke Messer served three terms in the U.S. House representing Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District from 2013 to 2019. During his service, he was elected by his colleagues to serve in House Leadership as the Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee and President of the Republican freshman class. He also served on the House Committees on Financial Services; Education and the Workforce; Budget; and Foreign Affairs. Today, Luke is Chair of the nonprofit Indiana Business Health Collaborative and a partner at Bose McKinney & Evans LLP and Bose Public Affairs Group with offices in Indianapolis and Washington DC.

The Association of the Former Members of Congress (FMC) is a non-advocacy, nonpartisan group founded in 1970 and chartered by Congress in 1983. It is a voluntary alliance of more than 800 Former U.S. Senators and Representatives working to strengthen Congress in the conduct of its Constitutional responsibility through promoting a collaborative approach to policymaking and deepening the public’s understanding of our democratic system.

World Leaders in Wartime: Abraham Lincoln
2024-11-06 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Abraham Lincoln, often characterized as one of America’s preeminent war leaders, was a master politician who intuitively understood the political consequences of any decision. Yet on matters of strategy, arguably the most important responsibility of a wartime president, Lincoln deferred to his military commanders rather than exercise his authority as commander-in-chief. His strategy of deference nearly proved to be a strategy for defeat.
Harry S. Laver is a professor of military history at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, who specializes in the American Civil War and World War II Europe. He is the author of A General Who Will Fight: The Leadership of Ulysses S. Grant (2013). His current book projects include Grant and His Generals: A Study of Military Command, and Ike and Tedder: A Study of Allied Command.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency.

Tribute to Veterans Gala
2024-11-10 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join us in celebrating our Veterans and their families on Sunday, November 10, 2024. The program will include a Salute to Veterans from the University of Kansas ROTC and music from the Moonlight Serenade Orchestra.
Reservations are required. Admission is free, however, space is limited. To make a reservation, please call the Dole Institute of Politics at (785) 864-4900.

Congress in the 21st Century
2024-11-13 16:00 - 17:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
In partnership with the Association of the Former Members of Congress, the Dole Institute will welcome Democratic and Republican former members of Congress for “Congress in the 21st Century,” a three-part Discussion Groups series. This program will explore the critical period following elections, examining how outcomes shape policy, governance, and community engagement. The discussion will focus on the national results of the 2024 election and explore their implications for the upcoming congressional session.
This series is supported by the Edward F. Reilly Endowed Fund, which supports public programming at the Dole Institute that explores the role of civil discourse and bipartisanship in contemporary politics. This fund has been made possible by a generous gift from Edward F. Reilly, Jr.

Cheri Bustos of Illinois has never lost an election – two for City Council and five for Congress. She just left office last year after service for a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives. For most of that time, she served in the Democratic House leadership. Her previous professional experience includes almost two decades as a journalist followed by a Vice President of Corporate Communications at a multi-billion-dollar, multi-state health system. She now is a partner and co-chair at Mercury Public Affairs.
Luke Messer served three terms in the U.S. House representing Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District from 2013 to 2019. During his service, he was elected by his colleagues to serve in House Leadership as the Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee and President of the Republican freshman class. He also served on the House Committees on Financial Services; Education and the Workforce; Budget; and Foreign Affairs. Today, Luke is Chair of the nonprofit Indiana Business Health Collaborative and a partner at Bose McKinney & Evans LLP and Bose Public Affairs Group with offices in Indianapolis and Washington DC.

The Association of the Former Members of Congress (FMC) is a non-advocacy, nonpartisan group founded in 1970 and chartered by Congress in 1983. It is a voluntary alliance of more than 800 Former U.S. Senators and Representatives working to strengthen Congress in the conduct of its Constitutional responsibility through promoting a collaborative approach to policymaking and deepening the public’s understanding of our democratic system.

The Counselors: Should the Draft Be Reinstated?
2024-11-14 18:30 - 20:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join us for the next edition of The Counselors—an engaging program featuring debates on contemporary topics. This fall, Dole Institute Visiting Fellows and attorneys Ed Duckers and Pedro Irigonegaray will debate whether or not the military draft should be reinstated in the United States with the assistance of expert witnesses.
This program will be moderated by Abbie Clements, a member of the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board and a Student Events Assistant. She studies political science, strategic communications, and history.

Affirming Side
Pedro Irigonegaray is an attorney and partner at Irigonegaray, Turney, & Revenaugh. A trial lawyer since 1973, Pedro is a former President of The Kansas Trial Lawyers Association, a Fellow in The American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow in The International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Dr. William M. Raymond, Jr., is an assistant professor in the Department of Command and Leadership at the U.S. Army’s Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He served in the U.S. Army for 30 years in a wide variety of field artillery and educational assignments, leading diverse and high-performing teams and organizations. He has more than 22 years’ experience teaching students and developing curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels during active duty (at the United States Military Academy (USMA) and CGSC) and civilian service (at Benedictine College and CGSC). He has a BS in Engineering from USMA, an MMAS from CGSC, and an MA and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan.
Dr. Roosevelt Barfield, brings a wealth of experience in strategy, operations, budget, training, management, and leadership having served as a Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and an Army Veteran with 32 years of service. A veteran of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General (retired) Barfield served as a Military Legislative Assistant to the U.S. Senate and held progressive levels of command responsibility with the military. Dr. Barfield holds a Doctorate of Business Administration from Walden University, a Master’s of Science Degree in Management from Central Michigan University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Kansas, and is a 2013 Dole Fellow.

Negating Side
Ed Duckers is partner at Stoel Rives LLP and the head of the firm’s Litigation Practice in California and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He is a past chair of Stoel Rives’ Food and Agribusiness Industry Team.
Steve Leonard serves as the Assistant Area Director for Management and Entrepreneurship in the KU School of Business. Prior to joining the faculty in 2015, he spent nearly thirty years in uniform as a U.S. Army leader, where he served as a senior military strategist and war planner. A career writer and speaker, he is the author and co-editor of several books, including Power Up (Casemate, 2023), To Boldly Go (Casemate, 2021), and the upcoming Professionals Talk Logistics (Howgate, 2025).
Debra Sheffer is a Professor of History at Park University in Parkville, Missouri. She holds a PhD in Military History from the University of Kansas. She was a 2007 Fellow at the West Point Summer Seminar in Military History. Her published works include The Buffalo Soldiers, “Lincoln’s Wartime Diplomacy and the Emancipation Proclamation” in The Routledge Handbook of Military and Diplomatic History: The Colonial Period to 1877, “The Convergence” in A Companion to Custer and the Little Big Horn Campaign, and “African American Soldiers: The Struggle for Equality through Service in the Civil War and the Great War” in Wars Civil and Great: American Experience in the Civil War and World War I. Her current research explores the cultural constructs of death and honor in the Civil War.

The 2024 Post Election Conference: Kansas Panel
2024-11-20 16:00 - 17:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join Dole Fellow Jonathan Shorman as he moderates the Kansas Panel of the 2024 Post Election Conference. Shorman will lead a panel that will provide an overview of elections throughout Kansas this year, including the race to become the next representative of the Kansas 2nd Congressional District, and political realignment that has led eastern Kansas into becoming one of the nation’s leading battlegrounds.

About the Post Election Conference
Held biennially after midterm and general elections, the Dole Institute’s Post Election Conference brings journalists, practitioners, and experts together to analyze campaigns and election results in Kansas and throughout the country.

Jonathan Shorman is The Kansas City Star’s lead political reporter, covering Kansas and Missouri government. Shorman has spent more than a decade covering politics in both states, including previously at The Wichita Eagle. He was part of a team of Eagle reporters who won the 2019 George Polk Award for political reporting.

Eric Pahls is a Vice President at Big Dog Strategies, managing election campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels. Most recently, he assisted in the campaign of Representative-elect Derek Schmidt (R-KS). Pahls is also an alum of the University of Kansas and the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board.

Cole Robinson is a Prairie Village native and ’06 graduate of the University of Kansas. After playing poker professionally and trading financial markets through his 20s and early 30s, he moved on to politics starting in 2016, as campaign manager for Johnson County Chairman Mike Kelly and Lenexa Mayor Julie Sayers. Currently, Cole serves as the Executive Director of the Johnson County Democratic Party.

Lisa Rodriguez became news director at KCUR in 2020, after holding many other roles at the station: newscaster, city hall reporter and talk show producer. Born in Santiago, Chile, Lisa was named Editor of the Year by the Public Media Journalists’ Association in 2023.

World Leaders in Wartime: Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony
2024-12-04 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Popularly known as “the Strong” for his formidable physical vigor and power, Augustus II came to power in Saxony in 1694 and won the throne of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth three years later. He then proceeded to conduct military operations against the Turks that resulted in the Treaty of Karlowitz before forming alliances with the rulers of Russia and Denmark with an eye on checking Swedish ambitions and advancing his own. The Great Northern War, however, went poorly for Augustus, as his armies suffered defeat and he lost his throne for three years before taking advantage of Russian victories to return to power. This talk will describe the fascinating life and career of Augustus II and his efforts to deal with the complex political, military, and diplomatic environment in which he exercised leadership.
Ethan S. Rafuse received his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and since 2004 has been a member of the faculty at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, where he is a professor of military history. In 2018-19, he was the Charles Boal Ewing Distinguished Visiting Professor at the U.S. Military Academy.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency.

The 2024 Post Election Conference: National Panel
2024-12-11 14:00 - 17:30 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join Dole Institute Visiting Fellow Jerry Seib and Dole Institute Director Emeritus Bill Lacy as they co-moderate the National Panel of the 2024 Post Election Conference. Seib and Lacy will lead a panel that will dive into the practices of both presidential campaigns, congressional races in battlegrounds throughout the nation, and more from this unprecedented general election.

About the Post Election Conference
Held biennially after midterm and general elections, the Dole Institute’s Post Election Conference brings journalists, practitioners, and experts together to analyze campaigns and election results in Kansas and throughout the country.

Jerry Seib has been a journalist with The Wall Street Journal for almost 45 years. He served as the Journal’s Executive Washington Editor and wrote the weekly “Capital Journal” column for 29 years. He also reported from the Middle East for the Journal in the mid-1980s, covered the White House, has moderated three presidential debates, and interviewed every president since Ronald Reagan.

Bill Lacy is the former director of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas. Since his appointment in 2004, Lacy established the Institute a highly-respected venue for bipartisan, philosophically-balanced political programming. Additionally, he led the Institute through many other milestones, including the creation of the Student Advisory Board, the completion of processing Senator Bob Dole’s archival collections, obtaining Senator Elizabeth Dole’s career papers, and the addition of millions to the Institute’s endowment to further the Institute’s mission and support the student body at the University.

Molly Ball is The Wall Street Journal’s senior political correspondent, covering campaigns, the White House, Congress, political personalities and policy debates across America. She is also a frequent television and radio commentator and the author of “Pelosi,” a bestselling biography of the first woman Speaker of the House. Prior to joining the Journal, she covered U.S. politics for Time magazine, the Atlantic, Politico and the Las Vegas Review-Journal. She has worked for newspapers in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Cambodia, as well as the New York Times and the Washington Post. She has received numerous awards for her political coverage, including the Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress, the Gerald R. Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency and the Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting. She is a graduate of Yale University, a former Knight-Wallace journalism fellow at the University of Michigan and once won $100,000 on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” Molly grew up in Idaho and Colorado and lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her husband and three children.

Brendan Buck is one of Washington’s top communications strategists and a trusted political analyst. Having served two consecutive Speakers of the House, he was at the center of many of this era’s biggest policy and political battles. Brendan is currently a Partner at Seven Letter, a Washington and Boston based public affairs firm. He is also an NBC News and MSNBC Political Analyst. Previously, he spent twelve years on Capitol Hill, all in the House. Most recently, he was Counselor to House Speaker Paul Ryan, leading messaging and communications strategy for the speaker and House GOP. Before that, Brendan served as Communications Director at the House Ways and Means Committee under Chairman Ryan and helped him navigate his unexpected ascension to the Speaker’s Office in 2015. Earlier, Brendan was Press Secretary to House Speaker John Boehner, working primarily with the White House press corps to shape the coverage of the Obama administration. Brendan was also on the 2012 Romney-Ryan presidential campaign, serving as Press Secretary to the Vice President nominee. He’s held several other senior communications roles on Capitol Hill including for future-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and former Rep. Tom Price. In 2017, POLITICO named him to its inaugural Power 30 list, and in 2020, PR Week named him to its annual ’40 Under 40′. He was also named a ’40 Under 40* alumnus by the University of Georgia, which is where you can find him many Saturdays during football season.

Francesca Chambers is a White House Correspondent for USA Today covering foreign policy and the 2024 presidential race. She has covered the nation’s highest elected office and the politicians seeking it since 2014. Prior to USA Today, she covered campaigns, elections and the White House for McClatchy, DailyMail.com and the syndicated newsmagazine DailyMailTV. She is a team Emmy winner and a Society of Professional Journalists D.C. Dateline Award recipient. Francesca is a frequent guest on network television and a former White House Correspondents’ Association board member. She is a proud graduate of the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas and currently sits on its board of trustees.

Anita Dunn is a partner and founding member of SKDK. She most recently served as a senior advisor to President Joe Biden. In that role, she advised on overall strategy and messaging during the beginning of the President’s term, overseeing successful landmark legislative priorities and helping the President navigate through once-in-a-lifetime crises. Prior to that, she served as a senior advisor to the Biden-Harris presidential campaign, advising on all aspects of the campaign, including messaging, debate preparation, and overall strategy. Ms. Dunn was a chief strategist to former President Barack Obama, as a senior campaign advisor and as the White House Communications Director. She oversaw all communications strategy and messaging and helped the former President navigate a complex legislative and political landscape early in his administration. Named one of Washingtonian’s most powerful women in 2019, She also served in a variety of senior roles for other key Democrats throughout her career, including Tom Daschle, Bill Bradley, and Evan Bayh.

Alex Latcham is a native of Des Moines, Iowa, and has worked for President Trump for over eight years, most recently as the Director of Congressional Engagement for his historic 2024 campaign. In this role, Latcham oversaw the campaign’s engagement with members of Congress, regularly advised President Trump on political races and endorsements, and served as the campaign’s primary liaison to the NRCC, NRSC, and RGA. During the 2024 Republican primary, Alex Latcham served as the Early States Director, planning and directing all campaign activity and staff within the early four nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada. In this role, Latcham contributed to historic victories that enabled President Trump to quickly and decisively secure the Republican nomination. During President Trump’s first term, Latcham served as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Political Director. In this role, Latcham managed President Trump’s political and official engagements across the nation and regularly worked with national and state political parties, cabinet members, members of congress, state constitutional officers, and other key industries and organizations to strategically advance the administration’s political and policy priorities. From 2014-2016, Latcham was political director for the Republican Party of Iowa and was part of a small team responsible for the successful planning and execution of the record-setting 2016 Iowa Republican Caucuses. Alex Latcham holds a B.A. in Political Science from Drake University.

Jonathan Martin is the politics bureau chief and senior political columnist at POLITICO, where he writes a reported column on the inside conversation and big-picture trends shaping politics. Prior to starting his column in 2022, Martin was the national political correspondent for The New York Times, serving as the publication’s top political reporter for nearly a decade. He is the co-author of The New York Times bestseller “This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America’s Future,” which gave readers in-the-room access to the extraordinary events of the 2020 election and its aftermath. Martin regularly provides on-air political analysis for ABC, NBC and CBS. He and his wife, Betsy, live in Washington and New Orleans.

Molly Murphy is a top pollster and campaign strategist who has worked on some of the most consequential campaigns in recent history. Molly has experience with hundreds of statewide, congressional, and local races, helping elect Democrats in Republican and swing districts and making it possible for Democrats to prevail in competitive primaries. In addition to her work with candidates, Molly serves as one of the lead pollsters for the Harris-Walz campaign, is a lead advisor to the DCCC, closely supports the DSCC and DGA, and has extensive research experience for progressive issue organizations.

Chuck Todd is the Chief Political Analyst for NBC News, leading all aspects of the news division’s political coverage and analysis. Exclusively represented by the Leading Authorities Speakers Bureau, he offers a comprehensive picture of the current political landscape, making him one of the most sought-after voices in American political coverage. Throughout his career at NBC News, Todd served as the revered Meet the Press Moderator, Chief White House Correspondent, and Host of The Daily Rundown, NBC News Now, Meet the Press NOW, and Meet the Press Daily. He also co-moderated the two most-watched Democratic presidential debates in NBC’s history. Along with teaching a graduate-level political communications course at Johns Hopkins University, Todd contributes to publications like the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Atlantic Monthly, where he is a contributing editor. He is also the author of “The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House” and co-author of “How Barack Obama Won.” Todd has been recognized by an array of organizations and publications, including GQ, George Magazine, and Washingtonian.

Jimmy Carter: A Special Memorial Exhibit
2025-01-02 - 2025-02-02 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Senator Bob Dole was proud that President Jimmy Carter participated in the Dole Institute’s dedication in 2003, in a significant demonstration of bipartisan leadership. Lifelong public servants, President Carter and Senator Dole knew America works best when we work together to seek common ground for the common good.
Join the Dole Institute in honoring his life and legacy by visiting our Museum & Galleries to view a special memorial display featuring items from the Robert and Elizabeth Dole Archives and Special Collections that highlight the relationship between Dole and Carter.
Visitors will have an opportunity to sign a guest book that will later be presented to the Carter family.
Plan your visit to the Dole Institute’s Museum & Galleries by visiting our website.

The Arc of Kansas Politics
2025-01-23 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The history of Kansas is unlike any other state in the Union. Inspired by the recent book Reform and Reaction: The Arc of Kansas Politics (University Press of Kansas, 2024), Philadelphia Inquirer politics and government reporter Katie Bernard sits with former Kansas governors Kathleen Sebelius (D) and Mike Hayden (R) to discuss the complex story of—and their experiences with—recent Kansas politics, from the 1960s to today.
Reform and Reaction is edited by Michael A. Smith (Emporia State University) and H. Edward Flentje (Wichita State University), and features contributions by the editors, Patrick Miller (Kent State University), Chapman Rackaway (Radford University), and the late Burdett Loomis (University of Kansas).
This program is presented in partnership with the University Press of Kansas

Katie Bernard covers election administration and suburban politics at the Philadelphia Inquirer. She was the paper’s point person for voting processes during the 2024 presidential election as Pennsylvania was a hotbed of election misinformation. Previously, Katie was a statehouse reporter at the Kansas City Star where she led coverage of Kansas’ historic August 2022 abortion vote. She studied journalism and political science at the University of Kansas where she spent four years on the Dole Institute’s Student Advisory Board.
Former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is one of America’s foremost experts on health policy, health care reform, and executive leadership. She served as U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services from 2009 to 2014, Governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009 and Kansas Insurance Commissioner from 1995 to 2003. She also chaired the Democratic Governors Association in 2007. Sebelius holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kansas and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity Washington University. Kathleen has also participated in various programs at the Dole Institute, including Discussion Groups programs and the Presidential Lecture Series. She currently serves as a member of the Institute’s Board of Advisors.
Former Kansas Governor John “Mike” Hayden was born in Atwood Kansas. He received his bachelor’s degree in wildlife conservatory from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in biology from Fort Hays State University. As an infantry company commander for the U.S. Army, Governor Hayden spent 13 months in Vietnam, where he received the Soldier’s Medal, two bronze Stars, and the Army Commendation Medal. He began his career in public service as a state representative, serving from 1972 to 1986. In 1983 and 1985, he was elected speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives. His legislative career was highlighted by numerous conservation and environmental achievements. Elected governor in 1986, Hayden improved the fiscal condition of the state; in 1988, Kansas was one of the top three states in reducing state taxes. His other administrative priorities included conservation of the state’s natural resources, rural community preservation, and efforts to combat drug and alcohol abuse. In November 1988, Governor Hayden was elected chair of the Republican Governors Association.

Discover with Dole: Celebrating Kansas Day
2025-01-24 - 2025-02-02 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Celebrate Kansas Day all week long at the Dole Institute! Join us Friday, January 24 through Sunday, February 2 for a Kansas Day-themed Discover with Dole. Learn about Kansas by making your own special Kansas postcard using historical examples from the Dole Archives, playing Tic-Tac-Dole, signing a special birthday card for Kansas, and exploring the state seal and other Kansas symbols with coloring and crafts.
Plus, join us for a virtual field trip during the Kansas Day Virtual Field Trip Edventure on January 29. Virtual sessions for grades K-8 are designed to help students learn more about history, English/language arts, STEM, fine arts, and careers through the lens of Kansas. Visit the 2025 Kansas Day Edventure website to learn more.
Discover with Dole is the Dole Institute’s interactive, kid-friendly themed program in the museum. All programs and events at the Dole Institute are free and open to the public.

G-Planes, R-Planes, and Zeppelins: Germany's Strategic Bombing Campaign in the First World War
2025-02-05 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The Nazis’ attempt to bomb Great Britain into submission in 1940 and 1941 represented Hitler’s most destructive method of forcing Britain out of the Second World War, but it was not the first time London and other cities had experienced such attacks. From 1915 to 1918, aircraft from Imperial Germany’s army and navy sought to circumvent the need to continue the ground war by employing then then-new technique of aerial bombing to break the will of the British people to continue the war. The experiences of both the bombers and the bombed offered many lessons for those curious enough to look for them.
Tom Hanson is a professor of military history at the US Army’s Command and General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Minnesota, and master’s and doctoral degrees in history from The Ohio State University. He previously served on the faculties of the US Military Academy at West Point, New York; George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia; the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Canberra, Australia; the School of Advanced Military Studies’ Advanced Strategic Leadership Studies Program; and as director of the CGSC Department of Military History in 2017 and 2018. He is the author of several articles and book chapters on various historical subjects and of the book Combat Ready? The Eighth US Army on the Eve of the Korean War 1949-1950 (2010), which earned a place on the US Army Chief of Staff’s Professional Reading List in 2017. He retired from the US Army in 2017 after more than 28 years of service.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency.

2025 | Sharon McMahon
2025-02-06 19:00 - 20:30 | Lied Center of Kansas, 1600 Stewart Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Sharon McMahon, New York Times Bestselling author and educator, will be honored at the seventh Elizabeth Dole Women in Leadership Lecture on February 6 at 7 p.m. CST. McMahon will be honored for her leadership in redefining how we communicate—by turning confusion into clarity, inspiring change, and teaching others about how to take action. She’ll join Dole Institute Director Audrey Coleman for an interview on her approach to civic education and her journey to becoming “America’s Government Teacher” in the era of social media.
A free ticket is required to attend this event. The online ticket portal will open on Tuesday, January 28 at 10 a.m. CST. Learn more about claiming your ticket below.
Limited copies of Sharon’s book, The Small and the Mighty, will be available for purchase at this event. She’ll also be available to sign copies following the program.

This program is presented in partnership with the Lawrence Public Library

About the Elizabeth Dole Women in Leadership Lecture
Named in honor of former U.S. Senator Elizabeth Hanford Dole, the series recognizes her long-lasting career in public service by featuring women who break barriers, make significant contributions to their field, and reach positions of leadership. Dole held various positions throughout her career, including serving as commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Labor, President of the American Red Cross, and U.S. Senator representing North Carolina. After leaving office, she founded the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, which supports our nation’s military caregivers and their families.

About Sharon McMahon
#1 New York Times bestselling author, educator, and host of the chart-topping podcast Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon McMahon is redefining how we communicate, by turning confusion into clarity, inspiring change, and teaching others how to take action by doing the next needed thing.
A former high school government and law teacher, Sharon became known as “America’s Government Teacher” during the 2020 election for her viral efforts to combat political misinformation. Her knack for breaking down complex topics with clarity, humor, and a steadfast commitment to facts has attracted a community of over one and a half million followers—affectionately called the “Governerds.”
Sharon’s newsletter, The Preamble, is one of the largest publications on Substack, providing historical context and non-partisan insights to help readers navigate today’s political landscape. Her debut book, The Small and the Mighty, has been celebrated as one of the year’s top reads by Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Goodreads, highlighting the unsung heroes who shaped America.
Beyond education, Sharon leads philanthropic initiatives that have raised over $11 million to address critical needs, from medical debt relief to disaster recovery. She inspires audiences with a message of hope: history shows us that even small actions can create powerful change.

Attending this event
A free ticket is required to attend this event. Guests wishing to attend can click the button below to claim free tickets through the KU Events Calendar. Once you complete your registration, a ticket will be issued to the email address(es) provided.

Claim your free tickets

Should you be unable to claim tickets, you can stream this program for free on the Dole Institute’s YouTube channel.

Getting to the Lied Center
The Lied Center of Kansas (1600 Stewart Dr. Lawrence, KS 66045) is located next door to the Dole Institute of Politics.
Free parking is available in Lots 300A-D after 5 p.m. Accessible parking spots are available throughout the parking lots in rows closest to the building.
Doors to the Lied Center will open at 6 p.m. Guests must enter through the Main Entrance (south side of the building). Be prepared to show your ticket to staff at the building or auditorium entrances.

Accessibility at the Lied Center
The Lied Center has barrier-free entrances and designated accessible seating areas in the auditorium.
If you need to reserve an accessible seat, please contact the Dole Institute at doleinstitute@ku.edu or calling (785) 864-4900.
The Lied Center’s auditorium also features a hearing loop system that can be accessed via T-Coil. Individuals without compatible devices can access the loop system with headsets provided by the Lied Center.
More information on accessibility at the Lied Center can be found on their website.

Rewired: The New Power Structure in Washington
2025-02-18 15:00 - 16:00 | https://youtube.com/live/i2dgk3r7eGs?feature=share
For the first time, the Dole Institute will host the Dole Forum in our nation’s capital. Dole Institute Visiting Fellow and former Washington Executive Editor of the Wall Street Journal Jerry Seib will moderate an exclusive conversation about the new power structure in Washington.
Join us virtually on Tuesday, February 18, at 3 p.m. CST/ 4 p.m. EST for this exclusive conversation.

Jerry Seib has been a journalist with The Wall Street Journal for almost 45 years. He served as the Journal’s Executive Washington Editor and wrote the weekly “Capital Journal” column for 29 years. He also reported from the Middle East for the Journal in the mid-1980s, covered the White House, has moderated three presidential debates, and interviewed every president since Ronald Reagan.
Rahm Emanuel was confirmed as the 31st United States Ambassador to Japan on December 18, 2021. Before this role, he served as the 55th Mayor of Chicago until May 2019, where he implemented significant educational reforms, including extending the school day and year, and introducing universal pre-kindergarten and free community college. His tenure also saw a focus on public safety, corporate relocations, and major infrastructure projects like the O’Hare International Airport modernization and the Chicago Riverwalk development. Prior to his mayoral role, Emanuel was President Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff, helping to pass key legislation such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Affordable Care Act. He also served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois and was a senior advisor in President Bill Clinton’s administration, contributing to significant legislative achievements. Emanuel holds degrees from Sarah Lawrence College and Northwestern University and has a background in finance. He is married to Amy Rule, with whom he has three children.
Alex Latcham is a native of Des Moines, Iowa, and has worked for President Trump for over eight years, most recently as the Director of Congressional Engagement for his historic 2024 campaign. In this role, Latcham oversaw the campaign’s engagement with members of Congress, regularly advised President Trump on political races and endorsements, and served as the campaign’s primary liaison to the NRCC, NRSC, and RGA. During the 2024 Republican primary, Alex Latcham served as the Early States Director, planning and directing all campaign activity and staff within the early four nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada. In this role, Latcham contributed to historic victories that enabled President Trump to quickly and decisively secure the Republican nomination. During President Trump’s first term, Latcham served as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Political Director. In this role, Latcham managed President Trump’s political and official engagements across the nation and regularly worked with national and state political parties, cabinet members, members of congress, state constitutional officers, and other key industries and organizations to strategically advance the administration’s political and policy priorities. From 2014-2016, Latcham was political director for the Republican Party of Iowa and was part of a small team responsible for the successful planning and execution of the record-setting 2016 Iowa Republican Caucuses. Alex Latcham holds a B.A. in Political Science from Drake University.

SPRING 2025 | Exactly How Much Power Does an American President Have?
2025-02-19 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Dole Fellow Matt Beat examines how the exercise of presidential power has evolved since the ratification of the Constitution and how it is shared with each branch of government, the states, and citizens themselves.
Learn more about his Discussion Groups series by visiting his Fellow profile.

The American Presidency: An Introduction
2025-02-19 16:00 - 17:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
This event has been moved online due to inclement weather. Due to inclement weather, the Dole Institute will be closed on Wednesday, Feb. 19. This event will only be held virtually at 4 p.m. CST. You can stream this program live, for free, from this page or the Dole Institute’s YouTube channel.
What does the American presidency look like? In the first program of his series, Dole Fellow Matt Beat will look at how the power of the presidency is limited within the executive branch, specifically highlighting administrations across the nation’s history and the most influential executive departments.

Matt Beat is a former middle and high school educator who taught history and civics across various grade levels. His in-depth lessons inspired him to launch his YouTube channels, Mr. Beat and The Beat Goes On, which have accumulated over 1 million subscribers and nearly 300 million views from around the world. He has also published two books, including The Power of Our Supreme Court, that highlight the powers and dynamics of governmental institutions.
William C. Fox is a writer and founder of the YouTube channel Exploring History with William C. Fox. After receiving his MA in Political Communication from American University, he spent five years writing public diplomacy for the German Ambassador to the United States, Her Excellency Dr. Emily Haber at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. In 2023, he worked with the Truman Library Institute to create a video essay for the 75th anniversary of President Truman’s desegregation of the US Military. William is a two-time D.C. Arts and Humanities Fellow, and a proud Washingtonian.

The President and Congress
2025-02-26 16:00 - 17:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
As the nation’s lawmaking authority, the United States Congress has taken steps to limit the power of the president by denying appointments, overriding vetoes to pass legislation, limiting how much money is appropriated, and even impeaching the president. This session will look at the steps Congress has taken over the years in addition to exploring how the president has gained powers through acts of Congress.

Matt Beat is a former middle and high school educator who taught history and civics across various grade levels. His in-depth lessons inspired him to launch his YouTube channels, Mr. Beat and The Beat Goes On, which have accumulated over 1 million subscribers and nearly 300 million views from around the world. He has also published two books, including The Power of Our Supreme Court, that highlight the powers and dynamics of governmental institutions.
Steve Heimler is a former high school Social Studies teacher who now teaches hundreds of thousands of students worldwide through his YouTube channel, Heimler’s History. With over a million followers across his various platforms, Steve Heimler aims for a healthy mix of gravity and buffoonery to communicate the treasures of our shared past to teachers and students across the globe.

Robert Fulton: Submarines, Mines, and Torpedoes
2025-03-05 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Robert Fulton is best known for the first commercially successful steamboats plying the Hudson River. However, he did considerable work inventing and developing weapons of naval warfare: workable submarines, underwater mines, underwater cannons, and skiff-propelled torpedoes. Perhaps his crowning contribution to naval warfare was the Demologus (Voice of the People) – the world’s first steam-powered warship with 5-foot-thick walls and carrying sixteen 32-pounder guns for the protection of New York Harbor.
Dr. Richard V. Barbuto is a Professor Emeritus of Military History and former Deputy Director of the Department of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas before retiring in 2016. He received his Ph.D. in History from the University of Kansas in 1996. Graduating from West Point in 1971, Dr. Barbuto served twenty-three years as an armor officer with assignments in Europe, Canada, and Korea as well as various locations in the U.S. While on active duty he was on the teaching faculty in the Military Science Department at Eastern Kentucky University, the Land Studies Department at the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, as well as two tours with the Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth. In 2001, after his retirement from active duty, Dr. Barbuto joined the teaching faculty at the Department of Military History at USACGSC. In 2000 The University Press of Kansas published Niagara 1814: America Invades Canada. This was the first book-length examination of the four-month campaign along the Niagara River which included the battles of Chippawa, Lundy’s Lane, and the Siege of Fort Erie. Dr. Barbuto is a regular presenter at the War of 1812 in the West Symposium and has made several presentations on other key campaigns of the War of 1812. His current interest is to fill the void of unit histories of the American Army 1812-1815, particularly regular army units raised in New York State.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency.

The President and the Judiciary
2025-03-12 16:00 - 17:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
No constitutional power has proven to be greater in American history than that of judicial review. This discussion will focus on how the United States Supreme Court has used this unique power to limit the power of the president by highlighting specific cases, in addition to exploring the president’s role in judicial appointments.

Matt Beat is a former middle and high school educator who taught history and civics across various grade levels. His in-depth lessons inspired him to launch his YouTube channels, Mr. Beat and The Beat Goes On, which have accumulated over 1 million subscribers and nearly 300 million views from around the world. He has also published two books, including The Power of Our Supreme Court, that highlight the powers and dynamics of governmental institutions.
Clay Britton is a lawyer who has worked in federal and state governments as well as in the private sector. For the last six years, he’s also been a lecturer at the University of Kansas, where he teaches a constitutional law class focused on government powers. He began his legal career in 2009 as a prosecutor in the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, then worked at a large Kansas City firm for six years before becoming an Assistant United States Attorney in Kansas. Britton then served as Chief Counsel to Governor Laura Kelly for the first three years of her administration. Today he is a Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas. He received his law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2008.

Federalism in Action: The President and the States
2025-03-26 16:00 - 17:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The relationship between the federal government and the states is unique when compared to other nations. This discussion will look at how the states have limited the power of the presidency through our federalist system, in addition to touching on the ways in which states distanced themselves from the federal government.

Matt Beat is a former middle and high school educator who taught history and civics across various grade levels. His in-depth lessons inspired him to launch his YouTube channels, Mr. Beat and The Beat Goes On, which have accumulated over 1 million subscribers and nearly 300 million views from around the world. He has also published two books, including The Power of Our Supreme Court, that highlight the powers and dynamics of governmental institutions.
André Dutra is a Brazilian-American history creator on YouTube. His work analyzes American History and Culture from a human perspective. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communication Studies from Florida Atlantic University.

Dole & Dr. K: A Story of Loss and Recovery Turned Advocacy for Armenia
2025-04-01 - 2026-02-01 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
This special exhibit will be closing on February 1, 2026, to prepare for a new special exhibit. Make plans to visit the Dole Institute’s Museum & Galleries, open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., by visiting our website.

Can’t make it to see this exhibit? View the online exhibit on Dole Collections Online →

A young Bob Dole, searching for a fuller recovery from grave World War II injuries, connected with Armenian surgeon Dr. Hampar Kelikian. Over the course of seven surgeries in seven years, “Dr. K” shared his story of loss and renewal around the 1915 Armenian Genocide—inspiring Dole as he worked to reimagine his future and build a new life.
Kelikian’s lessons resonated with Dole in the decades following as he entered public service. Throughout his time in the U.S. Senate, Dole championed Armenia, including calling for official recognition of the Armenian Genocide – despite long odds and competing national interests.
This exhibit is based on the research of Michael Bobelian, who served as the Dole Archives Fellow for Armenian Advocacy in 2018. Mr. Bobelian is the author of “Children of Armenia: A Forgotten Genocide and the Century-Long Struggle for Justice.”

Preparing for the Unthinkable: The U.S. Navy, SLBMS, and the TRANSIT Satellites
2025-04-02 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
In April 1960 the US Navy launched the first experimental navigation satellite. This highly classified and cutting-edge technology found in the TRANSIT satellites were designed to provide the Navy’s submarines armed with the new POLARIS ballistic missile with more precise navigation fixes as a means to improve their accuracy, if and when they had to launch their missiles against the Soviet Union. Though useful for the U.S. Navy, President Lyndon Baines Johnson also found a civilian application. Thus, our routine use of GPS today in 2025 is result of this innovative technology during the Cold War.
Dr. Sean N. Kalic is a Cold War historian. He lectures and publishes widely on topics such as U.S. space policy, the Cold War, the post-Cold War security environment, and transnational terrorism. Prior to CGSC, he taught at Youngstown State University, Kansas State University, and Norwich University. He has presented lectures for the U.S. Navy War College’s Fleet Seminar Program, The Slovenian General Staff, The Slovenian Command and General Staff College, The U.S. Army’s Futures Command, as well as numerous international conferences. He has taught in the Department of Military History at the US Army Command and General Staff College since 2004.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series is an annual roster of lectures focusing on significant historical events, usually with an emphasis on military history. Each lecture is presented by faculty from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. Established by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1881, the CGSC is the graduate college for U.S. Army and sister service officers. The esteemed faculty and guests of the CGSC provide unique and captivating insights into the history of military conflict from the ancient to the modern ages at the Dole Institute of Politics.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency.
