Distinguished Speaker Series

A reverse chronological list of the McConnell Center's Distinguished Speakers, 1993 to present.
Pictures of U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, Sec. of State Colin Powell, U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, President George W. Bush, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

Since 1993, more than 60 distinguished guests, including U.S. presidents, cabinet members, supreme court justices, and congressional and international leaders, have delivered talks at the University of Louisville as part of the McConnell Center's Distinguished Speaker Series.

The following guests (listed in reverse chronological order) are part of the the McConnell Center's Distinguished Speaker Series:

  1. Ambassador of Ukraine to the US Oksana Markarova, Oct. 30, 2023: photos, video
  2. Ambassador of Australia to the US Kevin Rudd, Sept. 15, 2023: photos,video
  3. US Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Sept. 26, 2022: photos, video
  4. US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), April 11, 2022: photos, video
  5. US Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Sept. 12, 2021: photos
  6. US Representative John Yarmuth (D-KY, 3rd), Jan. 27, 2021: video
  7. US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, Dec. 2, 2019: story, photos, short video
  8. Australian Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey, Oct. 22, 2019
  9. US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Oct. 4, 2019: story, photos
  10. US Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), April 1, 2019: video, story, photos
  11. Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, Nov. 16, 2018: video, story
  12. CIA Director Gina Haspel, Sept. 24, 2018: video, photos, story
  13. US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Feb. 12, 2018: video, photos, story
  14. US Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, Sept. 21, 2017
  15. US Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), Oct. 21, 2016: video,photos,story
  16. US Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Nov. 16, 2015: video,  photos, story
  17. US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, Jan. 12, 2015: video, photos, story
  18. US Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), March 17, 2014: video, photos, story
  19. US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), March 25, 2013: video, story
  20. Nobel Peace Prize Winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Sept. 24, 2012: video, photos, story
  21. CIA Director David H. Petraeus, Sept. 10, 2012: video, photos, story
  22. US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, March 1, 2012: video, photos, story 
  23. US Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), Oct. 31, 2011: video, photos, story
  24. US Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE), Feb. 11, 2011: video, photos, story
  25. US Senator Scott Brown (R-MA), Nov. 8, 2010: video, photos, story
  26. former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam, April 12, 2010: photos, story
  27. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, April 9, 2010: video, photos, story
  28. US Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Nov. 11, 2009: video, photos, story
  29. US Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao, Nov. 11, 2009
  30. US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, April 18, 2009: video, photos, story
  31. US Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jan. 10, 2009
  32. Pulitzer Prize Winner for History Doris Kearns Goodwin, Feb. 11, 2008
  33. US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Oct. 15, 2007: photos
  34. US President George W. Bush (R-TX), March 2, 2007: photos
  35. Second Lady of the US Lynne Cheney, Sept. 18, 2006: video
  36. US Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), April 3, 2006: video, photos
  37. US Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), Sept. 19, 2005: video, photos
  38. US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Feb. 28, 2005: photos
  39. US Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Nov. 8, 2004: video, photos
  40. US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, March 8, 2004
  41. former US Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, Oct. 17, 2003: photos
  42. US Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Sept. 22, 2003: story
  43. US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), March 3, 2003: photos
  44. US Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX), Sept. 9, 2002: photos
  45. US Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jan. 28, 2002
  46. US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Nov. 19, 2001: video, photos, story
  47. Pulitzer Prize Winner for Commentary George F. Will, April 9, 2001; video
  48. Prime Minister of Belize Said W. Musa, Feb. 12, 2001
  49. US Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Nov. 13, 2000
  50. British Ambassador to the US Christopher Meyer, KCMG, Oct. 30, 2000
  51. US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Sept. 11, 2000
  52. US Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), April 17, 2000: video
  53. former US Secretary of Defense William J. Perry, Jan. 31, 2000
  54. People's Republic of China Ambassador to the US Li Zhaoxing, Nov. 22, 1999
  55. US Representative Anne Northup(R-KY, 3rd), Sept. 13, 1999
  56. former US Secretary of State James Baker, Oct. 26, 1998
  57. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Oct. 27, 1997
  58. Baron of Edmonton Thomas Edward Graham, Opposition Chief Whip of the House of Lords (Parliament of the United Kingdom), Sept. 19, 1996
  59. US Senator William Bradley (D-NJ), Feb. 12, 1996
  60. Arab Republic of Egypt Ambassador to the US Ahmed Maher El Sayed, Nov. 13, 1995
  61. US Deputy Secretary of State Nelson Strobridge Talbott, March 20, 1995
  62. Israeli Ambassador to the US Itamar Rabinovich, April 25, 1994
  63. former US Ambassador to Paraguay and El Salvador Robert White, March 24, 1994
  64. former US Secretary of State George Shultz, Oct. 5, 1993: video