Distinction and Diversity: The McConnell Center Distinguished Speakers Series since 1993
Book Summary
10 x 10 inches
256 pages
Full color throughout
ISBN 978-1-964530-29-1
Published in October 2026
by McConnell Center Books
In 1991, the McConnell Center began as just a small scholarship program. Today, the McConnell Center is a major enterprise that surrounds students, educators, and practitioners from across the commonwealth and the country with the tools and resources for academic and professional success. On any given day, you might find Kentucky school teachers or U.S. Army officers convening at world-class facilities for seminars and workshops. Under the center’s banner, you will encounter undergraduate students taking on robust educational experiences far beyond the traditional classroom—from podcast studios to conferences to the pages of major publications. I’m so proud that the McConnell Center continues to play a small part in bridging divides and preparing future generations of Kentucky leaders for success. I hope you enjoy this collection of lessons from the diverse and distinguished leaders who have graced our stage over the past 35 years.
“This center and the single-minded devotion and commitment that Mitch has given to it is yet another sign of his commitment to public service, because while all of us think of what our legacy will be, Mitch is guaranteed an extraordinary legacy beyond the specific legislative accomplishments he has in the lives of the McConnell Scholars.”
“Let me compliment you on the fine institution that you have here, Dr. Gregg, and the good job you’re doing here. It’s the most important job, that of developing the young minds. Forget about the sports. No ballgame ever changed the course of history, none. It’s the development of the mind that put men on the moon and that will discover a treatment for cancer; develop these young minds. Solon, that great law giver, one of the seven wise men of Greece, said, ‘I grow old in the pursuit of learning.’ We should all adopt that precept.”
“The McConnell Center for Political Leadership carries more than your [Mitch McConnell’s] name. It carries your vision. It carries your passion for educating the leaders of tomorrow. With the McConnell Center, you have inspired a new generation with the same reverence for civic participation and community conscience that you have exemplified during your own quarter-century of service to your state and to your nation.”
