The Dole Institute of Politics

Address
2350 Petefish Drive
Lawrence, KS 66045 United States Get Directions

The mission of the Dole Institute of Politics is to promote political and civic participation as well as civil discourse in a bi-partisan, balanced manner.

By providing a forum for discussion of political and economic issues, fostering public service leadership and encouraging participation in the political process, we emphasize that politics is an honorable profession and that only through political and civic participation can citizens redirect the course of our nation. While the objective is to accomplish this mission on a broad scale, our location at the University of Kansas provides a unique opportunity for outreach to young people and students.

We utilize the three distinct components of the Dole Institute to accomplish this mission: unique displays that tell the compelling story of Bob Dole’s life in the context of Kansas and The Greatest Generation; one of the largest congressional archives in existence which houses all of the Senator’s congressional papers; and finally, the vigorous public programming conducted by the Dole Institute.

Events at this venue

Today

  • September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States

    In commemoration of the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks, the Dole Institute will be displaying a special memorial poster exhibit, “September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World,” developed by the 9/11 Memorial Museum with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.  The exhibit reviews the events of the day, highlights […]

  • A program graphic for a Fort Leavenworth Series program. A photo of an early computer and young man is in the background. Text reads: Ft. Leavenworth Series; Whiz Kids at War: Data Analysis & America's War in Vietnam; Dr. Martin Clemis; Associate Professor of Military History; U.S. Army Command Staff and General College.
    Featured

    Whiz Kids at War: Data Analysis and America’s War in Vietnam

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    The Vietnam War was not just America’s first televised war, it was the nation’s first computerized war. The conflict’s hybrid character created a fragmented battlespace that was defined by a lack of front lines, the comingling of friendly and enemy forces, and a patchwork of political and military control. Data collection and analysis thus became […]

  • Featured

    Discover with Dole: Celebrating Independence Day

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States

    Join us for a special 4th of July-themed Discover with Dole from June 24 to July 6! These free, family-friendly activities and crafts in our Museum & Galleries allow children of all ages to learn about this important date in our nation's history through scavenger hunts, trivia, coloring, and much more. Plus, you'll have the […]

  • Featured

    No Sacrifice Too Great: The 1st Infantry Division in World War II

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    From their landing on Omaha Beach during Operation Overlord to the fierce battles in the Battle of the Bulge, the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division – currently stationed at Fort Riley, KS, and known as the Big Red One – continuously adapted to the evolving battlefield conditions throughout Europe in World War II. As the […]

  • Featured

    Beyond Lend-Lease: The American Military Mission to China, 1941-1945

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States

    China’s War with Japan began in 1937 with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident near Beijing.  While diplomatic and economic means were used to support the Chinese for several years, it was not until the 10th of October 1941 that an American military mission to support Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi) was established.  Brigadier General John […]

  • Featured

    The Brain of the Carrier Group: The Combat Information Center

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    This lecture will begin with the genesis of the shipboard combat information center (CIC) in World War II from the Guadalcanal campaign (1942) up through that at Okinawa (1945). From there it will move to a discussion of the development of the CIC on aircraft carriers through the Cold War and its current incarnation as […]

  • Featured

    A Fireside Chat with Sec. Robert Gates

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States

    Former United States Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates (2006-2011) will be in conversation with Dole Institute Visiting Fellow Jerry Seib for the opening of the 2025 KU Security Conference, which is aimed at understanding China’s long-term geopolitical objectives and how they affect U.S. national security. More information about the KU Security Conference can be […]

  • Featured

    The Counselors: Should Medical Assistance in Dying Be Legal in the United States?

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    Join us for this spring's edition of The Counselors: “Resolved: Medical Assistance in Dying Should be Legal in the United States.” The program, a cross between a mock trial and a debate, features attorneys Ed Duckers and Pedro Irigonegaray alongside members of the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board and students from the Washburn University School […]

  • Featured

    The 2025 Easter Egg Roll with Dole

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States

    Come one, come all, for the Dole Institute’s Easter Egg Roll with Dole! Join us on Saturday, April 19, 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 […]

  • Featured

    Former Dole Staffers Rod DeArment, Sheila Burke, and Robert Lighthizer

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    2025 commemorates the 80th anniversary of Bob Dole’s battlefield wounding, and the end of World War II. Former Dole staffers Robert Lighthizer, Sheila Burke, and Rod DeArment will discuss the Senator’s formative leadership during the Reagan era through his retirement from the US Senate in 1996. How did Dole influence U.S. fiscal and economic policy? […]

  • Featured

    The Consent of the Governed

    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    In the final program of his series, Dole Fellow Matt Beat will explore the various reforms that have been proposed that could not only limit the power of the president but make them less controversial.     Matt Beat is a former middle and high school educator who taught history and civics across various grade […]

  • Featured

    The State of Education in Kansas

    Event Category:
    The Dole Institute of Politics 2350 Petefish Drive, Lawrence, KS, United States
    Hybrid Event

    Join the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board for the spring Student Advisory Board Program, “The State of Education in Kansas.” SAB coordinator Kenna McNally will be joined by experts to discuss K-12 education policy in Kansas.     Kenna McNally serves as the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board Coordinator, in addition to her role as […]