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