Dole Institute late Fall 2025 programming features Croatian Ambassador to the U.S. Pjer Šimunović, Cook Political Report editor Amy Walter, Wichita Mayor Lily Wu

October 23, 2025 - News

LAWRENCE, KS – The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas today announced its late Fall 2025 programming, featuring conversations on foreign service and diplomacy, public service, and domestic politics. Highlights include several Dole Fellow-led conversations, including with Croatian Ambassador to the United States Pjer Šimunović, Cook Political Report editor-in-chief Amy Walter, and Wichita, KS, Mayor Lily Wu; the fall edition of The Counselors, which features a debate on whether the electoral college should be abolished; and the annual Tribute to Veterans Gala.

Special program with Croatia’s Ambassador to the U.S.

Dole Fellow Qëndrim Gashi will be in conversation with Croatian diplomat Pjer Šimunović on Thursday, November 13 at 7 p.m. Ambassador Šimunović will speak with Gashi about Croatia’s experience in public diplomacy in the United States and examine key aspects of U.S.–Croatia bilateral cooperation. Their discussion will also offer perspectives on current U.S. foreign policy and Croatia’s priorities.

Ambassador Šimunović has served as Croatia’s ambassador to the United States since September 2017. Prior to his ambassadorship, he held various high-level national security, defense, and diplomatic positions in the Croatian government, including ambassador to Israel, deputy head of mission at the nation’s Paris embassy, defense secretary in charge of defense policy, and director of the Office of the National Security Council, among others. Before entering public service, he was a journalist with the BBC World Service Radio in London, Europe magazine in Paris, and ‘Večernji list’ in Zagreb, Croatia. Ambassador Šimunović holds a master’s degree from the Department of War Studies at King’s College London.

Forum programming with Dole Fellows

Former executive Washington editor of The Wall Street Journal and Dole Institute Visiting Fellow Jerry Seib will moderate “The Midterm Election, One Year Out,” an examination of the factors shaping the 2026 midterm election campaign on Thursday, October 30 at 7 p.m. He will be joined by Amy Walter, publisher and editor-in-chief of The Cook Political Report.

Dole Fellow and political consultant Joni Wickham will conclude her Fall 2025 Discussion Groups series with “High Stakes Leadership: A Leadership Case Study in Innovation, Resiliency, and Impact,” a conversation with Witchita, KS, Mayor Lily Wu on Wednesday, November 12 at 4 p.m. Their conversation will highlight the opportunities and challenges that come with running a city that aims to grow in sustainable and strategic ways.

Mayor Wu was elected as the 103^rd Mayor of Wichita in November 2023, becoming the first woman elected to a full term in Kansas’ largest city, and the first Asian American mayor in Kansas. Prior to entering public service, she was an award-winning local television journalist, serving as an anchor and reporter for Wichita television stations KAKE and KWCH 12 News. Mayor Wu is a graduate of Wichita State University and the University of Hong Kong, and holds leadership positions with various community volunteer organizations.

Attorneys and Dole Institute Visiting Fellows Ed Duckers and Pedro Irigonegaray will return to the Institute for the fall edition of The Counselors on Thursday, November 20 at 6:30 p.m. The popular program, a cross between a mock trial and a debate, “Should the Electoral College Be Abolished?” will feature Duckers and Irigonegaray and a panel of expert witnesses, including Washburn Law School dean and professor Jeffery Jackson, Washburn University professor of political science Linsey Moddelmog, author Tara Ross, and Save Our States executive director Trent England.

Tribute to Veterans Gala

On Sunday, November 9, the Institute will host its annual celebration of our nation’s veterans and their families: the Tribute to Veterans Gala. The evening will feature live music by the Moonlight Serenade Orchestra and a special “Salute to Veterans”. While free and open to the public, reservations are required to attend. Doors open at 5 p.m., with programming beginning at 6 p.m.

Detailed information on all these events, programs, and exhibits can be found at doleinstitute.org. All programs, which are free and open to the public, will take place at the Dole Institute and can be streamed live on the Institute’s website and YouTube channel. Members of the media wishing to attend any of these programs are asked to contact Jackson DeAndrea at jackson.deandrea@ku.edu to make arrangements.

About the Dole Institute
Inspired by the leadership legacies of Senators Bob and Elizabeth Dole, and the enduring civic contributions of the Greatest Generation, the Dole Institute of Politics strives to promote a new era of leadership that uses politics to bring people together through opportunities that emphasize bipartisan cooperation, public service, and civic education and engagement.

For More Information:
Jackson DeAndrea, Dole Institute of Politics
jackson.deandrea@ku.edu
(785) 864-4900