The 2023 Annual Constitution Day Program: Constitution Day at Kansas Memorial Stadium
2023-09-23 14:30 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, 1101 Mississippi Street, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
This event will take place before the Kansas Jayhawks play against Brigham Young University at the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. To watch the game, a valid ticket is required from KU Athletics.
During Family Weekend at the Kansas Memorial Stadium, KU fans are invited to recite the Preamble to the Constitution before the Jayhawks play against Brigham Young University. Chancellor Douglas Girod will lead the recitation while Elizabeth Berghout, carillonneur, rings the bells from the Campanile. Following the Preamble, the Marching Jayhawks will play the national anthem.
Learn more about our Constitution Day programming here!

The 2023 Annual Constitution Day Program: "Speech, Guns, and Federal Power"
2023-09-26 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
In recent years, the U.S. Supreme Court has reshaped key aspects of American law, including First Amendment speech protections, firearms regulation under the Second Amendment, and the Executive Branch’s powers to implement laws. The Court appears poised to continue reshaping these fields in the coming term through a set of potentially transformative cases. In observation of Constitution Day, Associate Director Dr. Barbara Ballard will lead a panel of emerging leaders in the legal profession – each of whom are former Dole Institute SAB members – to discuss these changes and how they see the profession evolving in the coming years.
Adam Steinhilber is an attorney from Overland Park, Kansas who recently finished clerking for the Honorable Timothy M. Tymkovich of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He previously clerked for the Honorable Mark S. Massa of the Indiana Supreme Court. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Michigan Law School, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif and chaired the Federalist Society’s 39th annual National Student Symposium. He earned his B.A. in Political Science with honors from the University of Kansas, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and proudly served as the Events Student Assistant at the Dole Institute of Politics. This fall, he will join the Kansas City office of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP as a litigation associate.
Emily Depew is a research attorney with the Kansas Court of Appeals. Emily hails from Neodesha, Kansas. She graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2023. At KU Law, Emily was a three-time moot court national champion and was presented with one of the best speakers awards two years in a row at the moot court national championship competition. She worked as the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board coordinator for two years as an undergraduate at KU. Emily has also worked as a legislative fellow at the Kansas Revisor of Statutes office, a legal intern at the U.S. Department of Transportation, and a legal intern for Kansas Representative Barbara Ballard.
Jesse Burbank hails from Quinter, Kansas, and grew up moving around the world in a military family. He earned his bachelor’s degree with highest distinction in history and political science from the University of Kansas in 2017. He was a member of the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board, and he served as Dole Institute Director Bill Lacy’s research assistant during his senior year. Jesse earned his law degree with honors from Harvard Law School in 2020, where he was an editor of the Harvard International Law Journal. While in law school, he served as a summer legal intern in the United States Supreme Court Office of Legal Counsel. He worked in private practice after law school at the law firm Sidley Austin LLP in Chicago before joining the U.S. Army JAG Corps in late 2022. He is now a Captain in the U.S. Army and serves as a Special Victims’ Counsel at Fort Riley, representing survivors of sexual assault and related offenses throughout the military justice process.
Learn more about the Dole Institute’s Constitution Day programs here!
The Dole Institute’s Constitution Day program is made possible by the support of longtime Friend of the Dole Institute, Mark P. Johnson.

Dr. John Hosler: “Bidding Syria Adieu: The Arab Invasions of 634-638”
2023-10-05 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
“Bidding Syria Adieu: The Arab Invasions of 634-638”
Dr. John Hosler
Thursday, October 5, 2023 | 3:00 p.m.
Though little known to western audiences, the Arab invasions of 634-638 into Syria and the Levant were some of the most consequential in history. What began as small-scale raiding of frontier Byzantine garrisons soon transitioned to full-scale war, featuring a decisive victory of the Byzantine army at the Battle of Yarmuk in 636 and the capture of Jerusalem in 638. The surrender of the Holy City enabled Muslim control of the Temple Mount within it and the construction of two of the most famous sites for all of Islam: the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. Following the conquest of Syria, their armies would go on to conquer Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia, North Africa, and Iberia—by 711, over half of the old Roman Empire lived in the Abode of Islam.
John D. Hosler (PhD University of Delaware) is a Professor of Military History at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. An expert on medieval warfare in Europe and the Near East, he is the author or editor of seven books, including Jerusalem Falls: Seven Centuries of War and Peace (Yale UP, 2022), The Siege of Acre, 1189-1191 (Yale UP, 2018), and John of Salisbury: Military Authority of the Twelfth-Century Renaissance (Brill, 2012), as well as over 60 shorter publications. He is the past President of De Re Militari: the Society for Medieval Military History, a current Trustee of the United States Commission for Military History, and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
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 Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

Taylor Swift: A Conversation on Influence & Advocacy
2023-10-10 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Global superstar Taylor Swift is on top of the world with a massive and Fearless fanbase behind her. Join us for an Enchanted evening of merging music, politics, and activism as KU Professor Dr. Brian Donovan and Wichita State University Assistant Professor Dr. Hannah Wing discuss Swift’s journey into the world of politics and social activism as well as what politicians can learn from her uniquely powerful influence. Are you ready for it?
Wear your friendship bracelets and your Swiftie merch!

Important Information for Attending This Program
Due to an expected large turnout for this event, we are taking some additional steps.

Doors for this event will open at 6:15 p.m.
Members of the public are encouraged to arrive early to secure their seat

Should you not be admitted for this program, please be aware that it will be live streamed on our YouTube Channel starting at 7 p.m. CST. This program will also be available to stream afterward.

KU students may come early for a pizza party with Taylor Swift music and cookies starting at 6 p.m.
Dr. Brian Donovan is a professor in the KU Department of Sociology. Donovan’s research focuses on gender and American culture. His latest book, American Gold Digger, examines the “gold digger” stereotype in American culture. Donovan is currently interviewing Swifties for a book about the Taylor Swift fandom and is teaching a Taylor Swift-focused course called “The Sociology of Taylor Swift” this semester.
Dr. Hannah Wing is an Assistant Professor in the Elliott School of Communications at Wichita State University. Her research is centered on examining the relationships between media consumers and media personae, including how fans are influenced by the behavior of celebrities. She is currently researching the experiences Taylor Swift fans had while trying to obtain tickets to The Eras Tour.
This program is presented in partnership with the KU Swift Society.

10 Defining Moments in the History of the American First Lady 1900-2023
2023-10-19 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The history of the American First Lady has seen a number of defining moments, incidents or challenges that are distinctive and leave a clear impression of the presidential spouse. Included in this presentation are discussions of Eleanor Roosevelt and Marian Anderson (1936); Jacqueline Kennedy’s Tour of the White House (1962); Betty Ford and Breast Cancer (1974), Hillary Clinton’s decision to run for the U.S. Senate (1999) and Michelle Obama becoming the first African-American first lady (2008).
Myra G. Gutin is professor emerita of communication at Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ. For the past 40 years, her research has focused on American first ladies. She is the author of The President’s Partner: The First Lady in the Twentieth Century and Barbara Bush: Presidential Matriarch. She has authored book chapters, articles, and op. eds. about first ladies and is currently at work on a biography of Betty Ford. A frequent media commentator, she is the president of FLARE, the First Ladies Association for Research and Education.
Diana B. Carlin is professor emerita of communication at Saint Louis University and a retired professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas where she taught a course on women in politics that included first ladies. She has authored book chapters on Martha Washington, Lady Bird Johnson, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama. She is the co-author of the first-ever textbook on first ladies, U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies, which was just released for publication. To purchase a copy of the book, visit this link.
This program is presented in partnership with FLARE.

The First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) was founded on June 21, 2021, through a collaboration with American University’s School of Public Affairs and its First Ladies Institute. Its mission to create and sustain a network of promote and publicize research and education relevant to the contributions, lives, impacts, and lasting legacies of U.S. first ladies.

A Question of Respect: Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation
2023-10-24 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Celinda Lake, a Democrat, and Ed Goeas, a Republican, have been crossing party lines for more than three decades to produce the Battleground Poll that takes a bipartisan look at America and its politics. Now they have co-authored a book that draws on what they have learned to describe how America has reached its current, deeply fractured political condition and, more importantly, how the country might move beyond it. These two leading political practitioners will be at the Dole Institute to discuss their work, including their central argument that the only way to escape the current polarization is through mutual respect.
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.
Celinda Lake was one of two main pollsters for the Biden campaign, is the only Democratic pollster to play a major role in defeating two incumbent presidents, and is a prominent pollster and political strategist for progressives. Celinda currently serves as President of Lake Research Partners. Lake’s polling and strategic advice has helped candidates such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to groundbreaking wins. Lake co-authored the book What Women Really Want with Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway.
Ed Goeas was President and C.E.O. of The Tarrance Group for thirty-five years, one of the most respected and successful Republican survey research and strategy teams in American politics today. Widely recognized as one of the country’s leading political strategists, Goeas is an often-sought-after consultant and strategist. In Fall 2018, Ed served as a Fellow at Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service focusing on “Civility in Politics.” In April Goeas was inducted into the American Association of Political Consultants “Hall of Fame.”

To purchase a copy of “A Question of Respect: Bringing Us Together in a Deeply Divided Nation,” please click this link.
For those who purchase the book in advance, there will be an opportunity for Ed Goeas and Celinda Lake to sign the book after the program.

KUCCO Annual Trunk or Treat
2023-10-30 17:00 - 19:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join KU Center for Community Outreach in our annual Trunk or Treat! Located in the parking lot of the Dole Institute of Politics (2350 Petefish Dr., Lawrence KS, 66045) from 5-7pm on Monday, October 30th, we are open to families and kids of all ages! We will have games, activities, and candy! Come in your best costume for a scary good time!
The trunk or treat event occurs in the parking lot, but outdoors activities will be hosted on the lawn, and indoor activities available in the museum. Also, a special appearance by Dottie, the LPL outreach bookmobile!

Dr. John Kuehn: “Hideyoshi’s Invasion of Korea in the 1500s”
2023-11-02 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
“Hideyoshi’s Invasion of Korea in the 1500s”
Dr. John Kuehn
Thursday, November 2, 2023 | 3:00 p.m.
The Shogun Hideyoshi Toyotomi had only recently unified Japan when he made the decision to invade Korea. Korea had served as a springboard of the attempted Mongol conquest of Japan in the 13th Century. Hideyoshi and his allies had never forgotten this danger. Hideyoshi was also inspired by the martial legend of the great Khan, and so inspired, partly for security, partly for glory, he invaded Korea in 1592 with a huge army of over 150,000 veteran troops. His ultimate goal was the conquest of China itself. This lecture will look at this invasion and its disastrous aftermath for the Koreans and, ultimately, the Japanese.
Dr. John T. Kuehn is Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC). He retired from the U.S. Navy 2004 at the rank of commander after 23 years, serving as a naval flight officer (NFO) flying land and carrier-based aircraft. He has taught a variety of subjects, including military history, at CGSC since 2000. He authored Agents of Innovation (2008), A Military History of Japan: From the Age of the Samurai to the 21st Century (2014), Napoleonic Warfare: The Operational Art of the Great Campaigns (2015), and co-authored Eyewitness Pacific Theater (2008) with D.M. Giangreco as well as numerous articles and editorials and was awarded a Moncado Prize from the Society for Military History in 2011. His latest book from Naval Institute Press is America’s First General Staff: A Short History of the Rise and Fall of the General Board of the Navy, 1900-1950 (Fall 2017). During 2016-2017 Dr. Kuehn served on CNO Admiral John Richardson’s Fleet Design Advisory Panel assessing congressionally mandated architectures for the fleet of 2030.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
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 Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

A Tribute to Veterans Gala
2023-11-05 18:00 - 20:30 | 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 5, 2023. 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. Please RSVP by Tuesday, October 23, 2023, by calling (785) 864-4900 or emailing doleinstitute@ku.edu.

Whirlwind: What to Expect for Digital Democracy in 2024
2023-11-09 10:00 - 11:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Featuring Katie Harbath, CEO of Anchor Change and Former Facebook Public Policy Director
Next year will be a rollercoaster with an unprecedented number of elections worldwide, the impact of new technologies such as AI, and the implementation of new regulations. Online platforms are facing their biggest test yet – and there are many new ones on the stage as well. In this talk, former Facebook head of elections Katie Harbath will break down what to expect.

Katie Harbath is a global leader at the intersection of elections, democracy, and technology. As the chief executive of Anchor Change, she helps clients think through tech policy issues. She is a senior advisor for technology and democracy at the International Republican Institute and is also a fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Integrity Institute and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Previously, Katie spent 10 years at Facebook. As a director of public policy, she built and led global teams that managed elections and helped government and political figures use the social network to connect with their constituents.
Before Facebook, Katie held senior digital roles at the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and the DCI Group, as well as multiple campaigns for office. She is a board member at the National Conference on Citizenship, Democracy Works, R Street and the Center for Journalism Ethics at the University of Madison-Wisconsin.
Katie writes a weekly newsletter on Substack called Anchor Change and hosts the podcast Impossible Tradeoffs. You can also follow her on Twitter and connect with her on LinkedIn.

This program is sponsored by AT&T and presented in partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center.

KU Vets Day 5k
2023-11-12 09:00 - 12:00 | David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, 1101 Mississippi Street, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is proud to be a Gold sponsor of the KU Vets Day 5k race, hosted by the KU Student Veterans of America and the Veterans Alumni Network.
The annual KU Vets Day 5K, hosted by the KU Student Veterans of America and the Veterans Alumni Network, honors our past/present veterans and raises awareness of the roles veterans play in our university and community. The 5K begins and ends at Memorial Stadium, traveling through the KU campus past KU’s war memorials. All proceeds from the Vets Day 5K support KU Student Veterans of America chapter, the KU Veterans Alumni Network and the Lt. Gen. William K. Jones Military-Affiliated Student Center.
To learn more about this race, please visit the official KU Vets Day 5k race website.

U.S. Policy Toward Ukraine: A Conversation with Ryan Guirlinger
2023-11-14 16:00 - 17:30 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
On Tuesday, November 14, the KU Center for Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Affairs, in partnership with the Dole Institute, will bring U.S. Department of State official Ryan Guirlinger to the Dole Institute for a conversation on the United States’ policy toward Ukraine as the war continues into a third year. Guirlinger, the State Department’s Chief of the Ukraine Political Unit, will discuss the current state of the U.S. policy toward Ukraine, how these policies are designed and implemented, and answer questions from the audience.
Unlike other programs, this program will not be live-streamed on our YouTube Channel, so make plans to attend this event in-person.
Ryan Guirlinger has served as the Ukraine Political Unit Chief since August 2022. In his distinguished career with the State Department he has previously served as Saudi Arabia Senior Desk Officer in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, deputy economic counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Morocco, economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Algeria, consular officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey, and consular and economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Honduras. In 2019, he was the recipient of the inaugural Hayden Brown Award for Outstanding Leadership in Energy Security and Access. He joined the Foreign Service in September 2008, and holds two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Maryland-College Park and a master’s degree from Syracuse University.

Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities ABLE Account Informational Session
2023-11-29 11:00 - 13:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
This event is by invitation only. For more information, please contact Allyson Mccain of the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities at allyson@kcdd.org or (913) 954-2150.

2023 | Katie Sowers
2023-11-30 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Katie Sowers, the first woman to coach on an NFL staff in a Super Bowl, will sit for an interview at the sixth Elizabeth Dole Women in Leadership Lecture, which features women who break barriers, make significant contributions to their fields, and reach positions of leadership.
This series is named after former U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole, in honor of her long career in public service. Dole served as commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Secretary of Labor, President of the American Red Cross, and U.S. Senator representing the state of North Carolina. The Elizabeth Dole Women in Leadership Lecture series serves as a tribute to her dedication and contributions to the nation through her public service.

Katie Sowers is in her third year as Director of Strategic Initiatives at Ottawa University (OU). She also coached the 2021 and 2022 National Champion OU Women’s Flag Football team and now serves as the Director of Operations and Defensive Coordinator. As a result of her extensive career, she has a large influence in the sports world and uses it to open various doors of opportunity for women’s athletics.
She is responsible for leading the development and fundraising efforts geared toward building a state-of-the-art facility for the women’s flag football and other OU athletic teams. Sowers continues to focus on the growth of female athletes and bringing these programs into the spotlight.
In the summer of 2021, Sowers served on the coaching staff of the Kansas City Chiefs through the Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship where she had the opportunity to coach alongside coach Andy Reid, one of the most accomplished coaches in NFL history.
Before arriving at Ottawa, Sowers was an offensive assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers from 2017 to 2021. She made history becoming the first female coach on an NFL staff to coach in a Super Bowl. Prior to her time with the 49ers, Sowers was a wide receivers’ coaching intern with the Atlanta Falcons.
A native of Hesston, Kan., Sowers played football in the Women’s Football Alliance for the West Michigan Mayhem and her hometown team, the Kansas City Titans. She was also selected to play on the USA Women’s National Football team in 2013 which won the IFAF World Championship defeating Team Canada.

Dr. Geoff Babb: “War in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, December 1941-May 1942”
2023-12-07 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
“War in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, December 1941-May 1942”
Dr. Geoff Babb
Thursday, December 7, 2023 | 3:00 p.m.
In December 1941, from Wake Island to Burma, Japanese forces overran and overwhelmed key allied bases and facilities. British, American, Dutch, and Chinese forces were unable to stop the onslaught. By May 1941, the Dutch East Indies, Burma, Malaya and Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines were all in enemy hands. The invasions of 1942 saw the peak of Japanese expansion in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
of the Second World War.
Dr. Babb was commissioned from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. He served as a US Army Military Intelligence Officer in Washington, DC and after completing education as a China Foreign Area Officer, was then assigned to Joint and Army Headquarters in Hawaii. He later was posted to the Command and General Staff College faculty at Fort Leavenworth. He earned a Masters in East Asian Languages and Cultures, and a Doctorate in History from the University of Kansas.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
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 Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics is dedicated to promoting political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bipartisan, philosophically balanced manner. It is located on KU’s West Campus and houses the Dole Archive and Special Collections. Through its robust public programming, congressional archive, and museum, the Dole Institute strives to celebrate public service and the legacies of US Senators Bob Dole and Elizabeth Dole.

Discover with Dole: Celebrate Kansas Day
2024-01-26 - 2024-02-04 | 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 26 – Sunday, February 4, with special open hours on Jan. 29 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, explore the state seal and other Kansas symbols with coloring and crafts. 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.

World Leaders in Wartime: George Marshall
2024-02-07 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
General George C. Marshall is arguably one of the most influential American military men to have ever lived. However, he is not known for his battlefield accomplishments, but rather his organizational and diplomatic achievements. From 1939 to his retreat from public life in 1951, Marshall shepherded first the U.S. Army, then the State Department, and then finally the American Military, through a tumultuous and transformational decade.
Dr. William S. Nance is a retired armor officer with two combat tours to Iraq. He is a World War Two operational historian with books covering American mechanized cavalry and General William Simpson. He is currently an associate professor of history at the Command and General Staff School.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
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.

Grappling with the Nation’s Pressing Fiscal Challenges
2024-02-08 10:00 - 11:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Featuring Spring 2024 visiting Fellows Rachel Snyderman and Emily Wielk
The U.S. fiscal house stands on shaky ground. Marked by a federal debt that has eclipsed $34 trillion, growing annual deficits, persistent inflation, and rising interest costs, Americans are increasingly frustrated by both the risks they present as well as the partisan gridlock in Washington over how to address them. America’s fiscal challenge is even more acute today given the significant economic issues that the 119th Congress and next administration will immediately face including the debt limit, tax reform, and Social Security and Medicare solvency, to name a few.
Please join us at the Dole Institute as our two Visiting Fellows break down what’s at stake and why fiscal policy will remain front and center in the coming years. What will the potential impact be on our families and communities, nation, and global competitiveness?

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

Rachel Snyderman, Director of Economic Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center
Rachel Snyderman serves as the Director of Economic Policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Rachel joined the BPC following federal service with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Department of Commerce, and the Office of Management and Budget. Earlier in her career, she worked for EY and Innovations for Poverty Action. She earned her B.A. in Economics and Latin American Studies from Wellesley College and holds an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies.

Emily Wielk, Economic Policy Analyst, Bipartisan Policy Center
Emily Wielk is a Policy Analyst for BPC’s Economic Policy Program, where her portfolio includes tax policy, working families support, and educational programming on fiscal policy. Prior to this role, Wielk interned with the EPP team, contributing to projects on tax policy and Social Security. Wielk holds a B.A. Public Policy and Sociology from Gettysburg College and a M.A. in Public Policy and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the George Washington University.

Beyond KU: D.C. Internships
2024-02-13 16:00 - 17:15 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ85FRrGOps
Are you a current KU student considering a DC internship? Join us as we interview a panel of four former KU students and Student Advisory Board members as they talk about their internships in D.C. and how these experiences moved their careers forward.

The program is presented in partnership with the KU Career Center

Eric Kros graduated from the University of Kansas in 2020 with a double major in Political Science and Public Administration as well as a minor in Business. During his time at KU, he worked at the Dole Institute of Politics as a Development Intern and Discussion Group Student Coordinator. In 2017, Eric interned for Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE) in her Omaha district office. The next two summers, he interned for Urban Swirski and Associates, a Washington, D.C.-based government relations firm focused on tax and trade issues. Eric then spent early 2020 as a Legislative Intern for Braden, Heidner, Lowe and Associates, a Topeka-based lobbying firm. In May of 2020, Eric started his career as an intern at a multi-client lobbying firm in Washington, D.C., Capitol Hill Consulting Group (CHCG). He was then hired as a Legislative Assistant and eventually promoted to Legislative Director. At CHCG, Eric primarily works in the Tribal, association, energy, municipal, and agriculture space.
Raina Peter is a senior at the University of Kansas studying Economics and Political Science. She is an outreach coordinator at the Dole Institute of Politics and has had two internships in Washington DC. In Summer 2022, she interned at the Department of State in the Office of Investment Affairs. In Summer 2023, she interned on Capitol Hill for Representative Sharice Davids. While she doesn’t have confirmed plans post-graduation, she hopes to return to DC in the political space whether that is for the government, think tank, or research-based firm.
Amanda Petersen works to improve opportunities for young Kansans to thrive as the Director of Early Childhood at the Kansas State Department of Education. She graduated from the University of Kansas with bachelor’s degrees in economics and political science in 2015 and earned a master’s degree in public administration in 2018. Her D.C. internship supporting state advocacy organizations, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, led to a subsequent semester as an intern in the Kansas Legislature and to her first jobs in state-level policy advocacy at Kansas Action for Children.
Mandy Snodgrass grew up on a small farm in northeast Kansas and graduated from KU. She has worked in a variety of political and nonprofit positions since high school, including on federal and state campaigns, in the Kansas statehouse, and now in Washington D.C. Currently, Mandy lives in Washington D.C. and works for Heritage Action, the political partner organization of The Heritage Foundation as a Manager of Donor Communications. While at KU, she interned on Capitol Hill for a former Kansas representative and also for the National Down Syndrome Society, also in Washington DC.

Bolstering Elections Administration: A Conversation with State and Local Officials
2024-02-15 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics and the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate for a conversation with Kansas election officials Jamie Shew, Douglas County Clerk, and Scott Schwab, Kansas Secretary of State, about the state of election administration in Kansas, including the challenges they face, and how they might be addressed and what support—including financial—they’ll need to bolster resilient elections in Kansas.

This program is presented in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

Jamie Shew was elected County Clerk/County Election Officer for Douglas County, Kansas in 2004. He is currently in his fourth term of office. Prior to his election, he worked in higher education administration and business management. He is active in Election Center, IaGo, GFOA, Kansas Association of Counties, and Kansas County Clerks & Elections Officials Association, where he served as president in 2014-15. Jamie has achieved Master County Clerk status in Kansas and earned national Certified Election Registration Administrator (CERA) status in 2017.

Scott Schwab serves as the Kansas Secretary of State. He first entered public office in 2002 serving as a representative in the Kansas House of Representatives. During this time, he chaired multiple committees and acted as Speaker Pro Tempore. In 2018, Schwab won the election to become the Kansas Secretary of State. As part of his work in this role, Schwab has made it a priority to offer guidance and support to county election officials. He has also worked to enhance the Office business filing system and to improve IT security. Additionally, Schwab is committed to ensuring that Kansas is recognized as a top state for election integrity, where every vote counts as one person’s voice. In 2023, Schwab was elected as the President of the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS).

2024 SPRING | Obstacles and Opportunities: Tackling Sustainability in Kansas
2024-02-20 - 2024-03-26
Our Spring 2024 Discussion Group series, “Obstacles and Opportunities: Tackling Sustainability in Kansas,” will be a four-part series moderated by Kansas Rural Center Board Member Karen Willey. The series was created alongside Discussion Group Coordinators Braiden Bangalan and Rachel Creighton by engaging with members of the Dole Institute’s Student Advisory Board to determine which topics related to sustainability in Kansas that students wanted to address.

This series is presented in partnership with the Kansas Rural Center.

The Farm Bill: Food and Hunger in the Heartland
February 20, 2024

The Farm Bill, a massive omnibus legislation covering a wide range of issues from agricultural practices to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), is on the docket for this coming year’s Congress. The Farm Bill dictates the most profitable and economical practices for Kansas’s largest industry, agriculture, and will shape farming and food stamp policies for the next 5 years. Join us with Senior Agriculture Advisor to Representative Sharice Davids, Zach Helder, and Executive Director of Kansas Farmers Union, Nick Levendofsky, to discuss the prevailing issues, debates, and environmental impact of this highly influential legislation. Karen Willey will lead this semester’s four-part Discussion Group Series.
This program is presented in partnership with the Kansas Farmers Union and the KU Department of Political Science.

Sink or Swim: The Future of Water in Kansas
February 27, 2024

Working lands, ecosystems, towns, and cities all need scarce water resources to survive in an uncertain future. With a plethora of legal battles and competing interests between powerful players, water access, quantity, and quality is a hot topic in Kansas. In discussion with Representatives Lindsay Vaughn and Kenny Titus, we explore the state of water quantity and quality and the conversations happening within the state. Karen Willey will lead this semester’s four-part Discussion Group Series.
This program is presented in partnership with the KU Honors Program.

Powering the Next Generation: Renewable Energy Options and Hurdles in Kansas
March 19, 2024

As one of the most widely discussed topics with a vast array of stakeholders, the future of renewable energy in Kansas is unclear. Taking into consideration the environmental and economic impacts of various forms of energy, we look at what direction Kansas is headed and where it could go. Join us with Climate + Energy Project Program Director Allison Thomas, Douglas County Planning Commission Chair Gary Rexroad, Evergy Clean Energy Development Manager Brandon Sack, and State Geologist of Kansas Jay Kalbas to discuss the future of renewable energy development in Kansas by means of public policy, community action, and environmental necessity. Karen Willey will lead this semester’s four-part Discussion Group Series.

Where Do We Go Now?: The Politics and Policies of Climate Adaptation in Kansas
March 26, 2024

Kansas is facing the question of how to create a livable state in the face of climate change. How can rural and urban areas adapt to become more resilient? As the environmental and ecological effects of a changing climate rapidly progress, local communities and nations alike are finding new solutions to this crisis. Join Douglas County, Kansas Food Waste Reduction Specialist Jamie Hofling, Kansas Rural Center Executive Director Tom Buller, KU Associate Professor Ward Lyles, and Earthjustice Senior Director Jasmin Moore for this conversation with Dole Fellow Karen Willey.
This program is presented in partnership with the KU School of Public Affairs Administration, and the Department of Environmental Studies.

Celebrating Black History Month: A Conversation on Race
2024-02-28 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join us for A Conversation on Race with Shawn Alexander, Professor and Chair of KU’s African and African American Studies, and Deborah Dandridge, associate librarian, field archivist and curator of African American Experience Collections for the Spencer Research Library.
The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Barbara Ballard, senior associate director of the Dole Institute.

World Leaders in Wartime: Winfield Scott and Joint Warfare in 1847-1848
2024-03-06 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
In March of 1847 General Winfield Scott led the first large-scale joint operation in U.S. history. Seeking to compel a favorable conclusion to the ongoing war with Mexico, the veteran U.S. Army commander developed an ad hoc partnership with the U.S. Navy to conduct an amphibious landing and assault on the fortress city of Veracruz along the Gulf of Mexico. This cooperation between the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy, which occurred in the absence of joint doctrine or American precedent, set conditions for a successful march on Mexico City and would establish an enduring cornerstone for the American Way of War.
Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Jennings is an Army Strategist and Associate Professor in the Department of Joint, Interagency, and Multinational Operations at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. With a background in armored warfare and counterinsurgency, he served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and previously taught history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. Jennings is a graduate of the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies, holds a Master of Arts in History from the University of Texas at Austin, and earned a PhD in History from the University of Kent.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
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.

Kansas Speaks: the Crossroads of Policy and Public Opinion
2024-03-25 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Discover the intersection of policy and public opinion at the Spring Student Advisory Board Program moderated by SAB Coordinator Allie Haggar featuring a panel of Kansas Speaks Contributor Dr. Alexandra Middlewood, as well as Rep. Christina Haswood and Rep. Nick Hoheisel, two legislative members of the Kansas Future Caucus, representing both Republican and Democrat perspectives. Join us for a discussion on key insights from the 2023 Kansas Speaks public opinion survey, addressing issues such as marijuana legalization, Medicaid expansion, abortion rights, climate change, and more. This event will explore crucial topics affecting young people and the wider community in Kansas, combining data-driven insights from the survey with real-world experiences and legislative perspectives.
Dr. Alexandra Middlewood is the Political Science Department Chair at Wichita State University. Her areas of expertise include public opinion, political behavior, gun politics, and gender. She is a contributing columnist for Insight Kansas, a Policy Fellow at the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, contributes to the annual Kansas Speaks public opinion survey, and is the former President of the Great Plains Political Science Association. She earned her PhD in Political Science at KU in 2019.
Rep. Christina Haswood (Diné/Navajo) is a State Legislator for the Kansas State House of Representatives House District 10. She is the Ranking Minority Member on the Joint Committee on State and Tribal Relations. She is known for her Native American and public health policy expertise. Christina helped pass Kansas’ first Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) bill in 2021 and is an avid champion of reproductive rights. Christina is known for using social media in politics and for building the bench for young Kansans to be involved in state politics.
Rep. Nick Hoheisel is a Republican member of the Kansas House of Representatives from the 97th district. Elected in November 2018, he assumed office in 2019. Hoheisel is a native of Wichita, Kansas, and co-chair of the Kansas Future Caucus.

The 2024 Easter Egg Roll with Dole
2024-03-30 10:00 - 13:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Come one, come all, for the Dole Institute’s Easter Egg Roll with Dole! Join us on Saturday, March 30, for a morning of family fun, including a White House-style egg roll race, egg hunt, games, crafts, and more. The event is free and open to the public, and will go on rain or shine.

Learn more about the event here.

The 2024 Easter Egg Roll with Dole is sponsored by Walmart.org

Special thanks to our partners – Lawrence Public Library and the Lied Center of Kansas.

World Leaders in Wartime: King Henry II
2024-04-03 15:00 - 16:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
King Henry II of England (reigned 1154-1189) was the most powerful European monarch of his day, husband to Eleanor of Aquitaine, and father to two successors: Richard the Lionheart and King John. Over the course of 35 years, he successfully warred against neighbors in the Isles and on the Continent, expanding his domains to create the so-called “Angevin Empire.” This talk will outline Henry’s military career and examine the breadth, depth, consequences, and legacy of his conquests.
John D. Hosler (Ph.D. University of Delaware) is a Professor of Military History at the Command and General Staff College. An expert in the history of the Middle Ages, he studies conflict in medieval Europe and the Near East. Among his various books are Henry II: a Medieval Soldier at War, 1147-1189 (Brill, 2007), Jerusalem Falls: Seven Centuries of War and Peace (Yale UP, 2022), and The Siege of Acre, 1189-1191 (Yale UP, 2018), which was named a Financial Times and Time Literary Supplement Book of the Year.
The Ft. Leavenworth Series
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 KU Security Conference Keynote Address with General Philip Breedlove
2024-04-10 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
On April 10, General Philip M. Breedlove, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, will open the 2024 KU Security Conference with a keynote address at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics. This address will kick off a two-day conference at the University of Kansas aimed at bringing together scholars and practitioners from academia, the intelligence community, and the military.
This program is presented in partnership with the Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (ICCAE) and the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies (CREES).

Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, USAF, Ret., is a highly decorated retired general of the U.S. Air Force where he reached the highest levels of military leadership as one of six geographic combatant commanders and the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO. Throughout his 39 years of service, General Breedlove served in a variety of demanding command and staff positions, leading large-scale, diverse, global operations across two theaters of combat and earning a reputation as an inspirational leader that focuses on his people, their families, and mission accomplishment.
As the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and the Commander of U.S. European Commander, he answered directly to NATO’s governing body, the North Atlantic Council, and to the President of the United States and the Secretary of Defense. He led the forces of 28 nations and several partners to ensure the security of an alliance that accounts for more than half of the world’s gross domestic product. Gen. Breedlove also served as the Commander of U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, as Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and as Assistant Chief of Staff for Air Operations, Plans, and Requirements.
He earned his Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in aerospace technology from Arizona State University. Additionally, he completed a Masters of International Security Affairs from the National War College, a Fellowship in International Security Affairs, Seminar XXI from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and completed Leadership at the Peak at the Center from Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs. Gen. Breedlove now serves as the CEO of Emerald Coast Strategic Solutions, on the Georgia Tech Civil and Environmental Engineering School Advisory Board, and on the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Council.

Bill Kurtis
2024-04-16 19:00 - 20:15 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
“Before it was history, it was news,” reflects Kansas-raised journalist, network news anchor, producer, and rancher Bill Kurtis.
Join acclaimed journalist Bill Kurtis in conversation with Dole Institute Director Audrey Coleman for a lively discussion of his Kansas roots and the news that shaped the nation over the course of 7 decades in journalism.

Special thanks to the Dole Lecture media partner Kansas Public Radio.

About Bill Kurtis
Bill Kurtis began his journalism career at WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas. After his 24-hour coverage of a devastating tornado in 1966, Kurtis was hired by Chicago’s WBBM-TV, where he was a field reporter and later anchor of The Channel Two News.
In 1978, Kurtis’ investigative unit was one of the first to report on the dangerous effects of the Agent Orange chemical on American forces in Vietnam. While covering the story, he returned to Vietnam in 1980 to find the children of American servicemen living in the streets of Saigon with their mothers, who were unable to find work. Kurtis’ reporting became a cover story in the New York Times Magazine and resulted in legislation that allowed these children immediate access to the United States. Additionally, his reporting launched massive studies into the post-war lives of American servicemen to make exposure to Agent Orange treatable—establishing a new standard of care for veterans that continues to evolve in the modern day.
In 1982, Kurtis joined the CBS Morning News as a co-anchor alongside Diane Sawyer, later returning to WBBM-TV in 1985 as anchorman through 1996 and from 2010 to 2013 alongside Walter Jacobson.
After a 30-year run with CBS, he established Kurtis Productions, which produces non-fiction programs and documentaries. Additionally, he serves as the Official Judge and Scorekeeper on National Public Radio’s news quiz show, Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, and has narrated multiple motion pictures, including the Anchorman films starring Will Ferrell.
Kurtis was born in Florida and raised in Independence, Kansas, after his father retired from the U.S. Marine Corps. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism, and from Washburn University School of Law with a Juris Doctorate. In addition to his work in journalism, Kurtis is an active conservationist in Kansas. Kurtis has placed land in the Red Buffalo Ranch, originally 8,000 acres of prairie in Chautauqua County, in conservation easements and has sold much of the land to cattlemen and the Delaware Indian Tribe. His daughter, Mary Kristin Kurtis, now owns the remainder of the ranch and the Red Buffalo Gift Shop in Sedan, Kansas.

About the Dole Lecture
Each spring, the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics commemorates the date on which Senator Bob Dole was critically wounded while serving in Italy during World War II. To honor Senator Dole’s courageous recovery and commitment to serve the nation, we welcome a guest to the Institute who embodies the commitments that Senator Dole held throughout his career in public service.

ERA in the Heartland: Ratification and Reconsideration in Kansas, 1973-1980
2024-04-20 - 2025-03-09 | Elizabeth Dole Gallery & Reading Room, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, 66045, United States
Experience ERA in the Heartland before the exhibit closes this month! The last day to visit this exhibit is March 9. Plan your visit to the Dole Institute’s Museum & Galleries by visiting our website.
In the early 1970s states raced to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment after it was passed in Congress. It seemed inevitable that the legislation, granting equal rights to men and women, would become the 27th amendment to the United States Constitution. Grassroots movements – for and against the amendment – mobilized swiftly in response. Highlighting the voices of ordinary Kansans, this exhibit explores the dialogue surrounding the adoption of the ERA in our state and its legacy today.
This exhibit is based on University of Kansas history and journalism student Alexandra Haggar’s Honors thesis: “Rescind ERA: The Failed Efforts in Kansas to Rescind Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, 1973-1980.”

This exhibit is presented in partnership with the KU Department of History and with special thanks to Dr. Marie Grace Brown.
This exhibit features materials from the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas.

The Counselors
2024-04-23 18:30 - 20:00 | The Dole Institute of Politics, 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, 66045, United States
Join us on April 23, 2024, for this year’s edition of The Counselors: “Resolved: Justices to the U.S. Supreme Court should be appointed for a single, fixed 18 year-term rather than a lifetime appointment.”
The Dole Institute has been proud to present The Counselors program, a cross between a mock trial and a debate, featuring attorneys Ed Duckers and Pedro Irigonegaray, for many years. Beginning in Spring 2022, Duckers and Irigonegaray mentored Dole Institute Student Advisory Board members to conduct research and cross-examine expert witnesses. This year, the Institute is continuing the tradition of student involvement in the program with the addition of two students from the Washburn University School of Law.
This program will be moderated by Braiden Bangalan, SAB member and Discussion Group Coordinator, majoring in global and international studies, political science, and data science.

This program is presented in partnership with the Washburn University School of Law

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.
Michael Milov-Cordoba is a counsel in the Brennan Center’s Judiciary Program, where he works on state and federal court reform to ensure that courts uphold democratic values and the rule of law. Prior to joining the Brennan Center, Michael served as a law clerk to the Hon. Alvin W. Thompson of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. Michael received his JD from NYU School of Law, a master’s degree in Political Science from Columbia University, and his bachelor’s degree in Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought from Amherst College.
Lou Mulligan serves as dean at the UMKC Law School, following a long tenure as a member of the KU Law School faculty and service as KU’s vice provost for faculty affairs. He is also a prolific scholar, with his work regularly cited by the state and federal courts. Additionally, he continues to represent clients and serves the legal profession in organizations such as the Kansas Judicial Council-Civil Rules Committee and the Council on Criminal Justice.
Sarah Vargas, 2L at Washburn University School of Law
Matvey Tabakh, KU junior and SAB member majoring in accounting, on pre-law track
Riley Keiter, KU junior and SAB member majoring in Political Science and minoring in Law & Society

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.
Stephen McAllister is the E.S. & Tom W. Hampton Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of Kansas School of Law. Prior to joining the faculty in 1993, Stephen McAllister clerked for Justices Byron White and Clarence Thomas at the Supreme Court of the United States and Judge Richard Posner at the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He also was in private practice in the Washington, D.C., office of the Los Angeles law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. From 2018 to 2021, he served as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas.
Shannon Grammel serves as counsel at Lehotsky Keller Cohn LLP, where she represents both private- and public-sector clients at the trial and appellate levels. Prior to joining Lehotsky Keller Cohn, Ms. Grammel served as Deputy Solicitor General of Kansas. Before that, she was a member of the Supreme Court & Appellate group in Latham & Watkins LLP’s Washington D.C. office. Ms. Grammel clerked for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh of the U.S. Supreme Court and Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She earned her law degree from Stanford Law School, where she was President of the Stanford Law Review.
Caitlin Riffer, 3L at Washburn University School of Law and former SAB member
Nathan Binshtok, KU freshman and SAB member majoring in economics, on a pre-law track
Jaspreet Kaur, KU freshman and SAB member majoring in communications
