Lessons on Liberty: A Discussion Group Recap

June 21, 2026 - Features

by Ava Levin | Discussion Group Coordinator

Discussion Groups Coordinators Ava Levin and Jacob McCarty stand alongside Dole Fellows Mark King and Jeff McCormick and supervisor Sarah Stacy at a Discussion Group program.

The Dole Institute’s semester-long Discussion Groups series contemplated “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Dole Fellows Jeff King and Mark McCormick led the four-part series spanning a plethora of topics and community interests. The series explored intense conversations on division and opportunity in the United States and revealed differences in opinion through respectful discussion.

Jeff King formerly served as a legislator in the Kansas State House and State Senate representing rural communities in southeastern Kansas. While in the state legislature, he served as vice president of the Kansas Senate, and chaired several key committees, including the Judiciary and Rules committees. King has been a practicing attorney for over 20 years, and handled many complex litigations, including in major school finance cases. He currently serves as a vice president and chief operations officer at the Rodel Institute, where he helps lead bipartisan leadership programs across the country.

Mark McCormick is a New York Times bestselling author with nearly 30 years of experience as a reporter, editor, and columnist. He most recently served as the inaugural executive director of the Kansas Black Leadership Council and deputy director of the ACLU of Kansas. He also served for a total of six years as executive director of The Kansas African American Museum.

The series kicked off with Jeff King and Mark McCormick speaking on “What Does it Mean to be United?” The series was livestreamed and may be viewed here. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions about unity from experts with varied political beliefs and legislative experience.

Dole Fellows Mark McCormick and Jeff King interact with the audience at a Discussion Group program.

Next, attendees contemplated “Liberty in a Pluralistic Society.” The discussion covered how we can balance competing ideas of liberty in a pluralistic country. The program concluded with thoughtful questions from many audience members, including many students at KU. Those who missed the program may view it here.

Jeff King speaks at a Discussion Groups program.

For the third event of the series, Jeff King and Mark McCormick covered “A Republic, If You Can Keep It.” This program was unique as it showcased clips from past political leaders, such as former President Barak Obama, Senator John McCain, and Reverand Jesse Jackson. The livestream is accessible here. The audience members were also able to share their ideas of what community meant to them.

Dole Fellows Jeff King and Mark McCormick at the final Discussion Group of the semester.

The final program covered “The Pursuit of Happiness: Is America Still the Land of Opportunity?” This program saw our Dole Fellows interact with the audience the most, as they were asked what happiness meant to them. The Discussion Group Coordinators were also fortunate enough to answer questions from the Dole Fellows and participate in the program in a unique way.

The final post-Discussion Group dinner of the semester at Basil Leaf Cafe.

The “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” series was successful in providing the student body, community members, and online public educators with discourse on unity, community, and happiness in divisive times. This Discussion Group series provided exclusive access for KU highly-involved students to attend post-event dinners for frank conversations with Jeff and Mark on divisive issues and modern problems with political discourse from a bipartisan perspective. All four programs for this Discussion Group series were live-streamed and have been recorded, available to access on demand through the Dole Institute’s YouTube channel.

Ava Levin is a second-year student studying political science, English, and Spanish at the University of Kansas. She serves as a Discussion Group Coordinator at the Dole Institute of Politics. She had the honor of participating in the Dole Institute’s Counselors program, a cross between mock trial and debate to discuss the feasibility of a Universal Basic Income alongside local Dole Fellow attorneys and Washburn Law students. Following her undergraduate education, she plans to attend law school and later become a criminal defense attorney.

About the Dole Institute
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, a vibrant forum for civil discourse, civic engagement, and idea exchange across the political spectrum, features historical archives, exhibits, and public programs for all ages. Inspired by the public service of native Kansan, veteran, legislator, and statesman Senator Bob Dole and his wife Senator Elizabeth Dole, visitor galleries feature changing exhibits, the Kansas Veterans Virtual Memory Wall, architectural-scale stained glass American flag, and September 11 memorial.