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. US Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), October 27, 2025: story, photos, video
  2. US Senator Katie Britt (R-AL), April 2, 2024: story, photos, video
  3. US Representative Morgan McGarvey (D-KY-03), March 25, 2024: photos
  4. Ambassador of Ukraine to the US Oksana Markarova, Oct. 30, 2023: story, photos, video
  5. Ambassador of Australia to the US Kevin Rudd, Sept. 15, 2023: photos,video
  6. US Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Sept. 26, 2022: photos, video
  7. US Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), April 11, 2022: photos, video
  8. US Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Sept. 12, 2021: photos
  9. US Representative John Yarmuth (D-KY-03), Jan. 27, 2021: video
  10. US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, Dec. 2, 2019: story, photos, short video
  11. Australian Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey, Oct. 22, 2019
  12. US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, Oct. 4, 2019: story, photos
  13. US Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), April 1, 2019: video, story, photos
  14. Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, Nov. 16, 2018: video, story
  15. CIA Director Gina Haspel, Sept. 24, 2018: video, photos, story
  16. US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Feb. 12, 2018: video, photos, story
  17. US Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, Sept. 21, 2017
  18. US Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), Oct. 21, 2016: video,photos,story
  19. US Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), Nov. 16, 2015: video,  photos, story
  20. US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, Jan. 12, 2015: video, photos, story
  21. US Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), March 17, 2014: video, photos, story
  22. US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), March 25, 2013: video, story
  23. Nobel Peace Prize Winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Sept. 24, 2012: video, photos, story
  24. CIA Director David H. Petraeus, Sept. 10, 2012: video, photos, story
  25. US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, March 1, 2012: video, photos, story 
  26. US Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), Oct. 31, 2011: video, photos, story
  27. US Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE), Feb. 11, 2011: video, photos, story
  28. US Senator Scott Brown (R-MA), Nov. 8, 2010: video, photos, story
  29. former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam, April 12, 2010: photos, story
  30. US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, April 9, 2010: video, photos, story
  31. US Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Nov. 11, 2009: video, photos, story
  32. US Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao, Nov. 11, 2009
  33. US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, April 18, 2009: video, photos, story
  34. US Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Jan. 10, 2009
  35. Pulitzer Prize Winner for History Doris Kearns Goodwin, Feb. 11, 2008
  36. US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Oct. 15, 2007: photos
  37. US President George W. Bush (R-TX), March 2, 2007: photos
  38. Second Lady of the US Lynne Cheney, Sept. 18, 2006: video
  39. US Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), April 3, 2006: video, photos
  40. US Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), Sept. 19, 2005: video, photos
  41. US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Feb. 28, 2005: photos
  42. US Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Nov. 8, 2004: video, photos
  43. US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, March 8, 2004
  44. former US Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, Oct. 17, 2003: photos
  45. US Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Sept. 22, 2003: story
  46. US Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), March 3, 2003: photos
  47. US Senator Phil Gramm (R-TX), Sept. 9, 2002: photos
  48. US Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jan. 28, 2002
  49. US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Nov. 19, 2001: video, photos, story
  50. Pulitzer Prize Winner for Commentary George F. Will, April 9, 2001; video
  51. Prime Minister of Belize Said W. Musa, Feb. 12, 2001
  52. US Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Nov. 13, 2000
  53. British Ambassador to the US Christopher Meyer, KCMG, Oct. 30, 2000
  54. US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Sept. 11, 2000
  55. US Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV), April 17, 2000: video
  56. former US Secretary of Defense William J. Perry, Jan. 31, 2000
  57. People's Republic of China Ambassador to the US Li Zhaoxing, Nov. 22, 1999
  58. US Representative Anne Northup(R-KY-03), Sept. 13, 1999
  59. former US Secretary of State James Baker, Oct. 26, 1998
  60. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Oct. 27, 1997
  61. Baron of Edmonton Thomas Edward Graham, Opposition Chief Whip of the House of Lords (Parliament of the United Kingdom), Sept. 19, 1996
  62. US Senator William Bradley (D-NJ), Feb. 12, 1996
  63. Arab Republic of Egypt Ambassador to the US Ahmed Maher El Sayed, Nov. 13, 1995
  64. US Deputy Secretary of State Nelson Strobridge Talbott, March 20, 1995
  65. Israeli Ambassador to the US Itamar Rabinovich, April 25, 1994
  66. former US Ambassador to Paraguay and El Salvador Robert White, March 24, 1994
  67. former US Secretary of State George Shultz, Oct. 5, 1993: video