The Eisenhower Institute welcomed our new Executive Director Tracie Potts this fall. We are excited for the vision and leadership that she brings to her charge to expand EI's programming in Gettysburg, Washington D.C., and beyond.
Message from the Executive Director:
I’m honored to join the Eisenhower Institute and appreciate such a warm welcome from the Gettysburg community. I am especially inspired by our thoughtful, passionate students. My goal is to enhance experiential learning opportunities and expand EI’s influence in Washington. Exciting things are happening! Fall programs included three D.C. visits. Our students met with Capitol Hill staff, alumni, advisors, and business leaders. Family Weekend Open House was a success. Fall events have included conversations on abortion law and the Second Amendment, plus Dialogue Across Difference workshops. Virtual J-Term sessions will introduce students to distinguished alumni, intriguing research, and strategies to become successful community leaders. Spring programs will be announced soon, and we’re building new partnerships on campus and in Washington – all guided by EI’s foundation of nonpartisan discourse. There’s a thirst for growth and learning here, along with a great sense of community. I’m thrilled to be part of it!
News:
- Susan Eisenhower has been speaking widely on her recent book, How Ike Led, including at the Pen Faulkner Foundation and the Nuclear Threat Initiative. She has also resumed her regular blog on current affairs at susaneisenhower.com.
- Michael Birkner spoke at the Eisenhower Memorial on Dwight D. Eisenhower's birthday, highlighting Ike's evidence-based approach to decision-making and his commitment to public service.
- Dr. Karen O'Connor presented the Institute's annual Constitution Day Lecture on the history of reproductive rights. Then, Prof. Anne Douds and Upnit Bhatti of the Women's Bar Association of D.C. joined Tracie Potts for a follow-up conversation last month on the status of Texas's new abortion law.
- Ike's Anvil is back under new managing editor Vanessa Igras ’24. Its fall content kicked off with a post from Chase J. Wittbrodt ’23 on the impact of almond production on California's water crisis.
- In memoriam: We pause to remember Prof. Ken Mott, who taught at Gettysburg College for 51 years, sat on the EI Campus Advisory Council, and served as the inaugural Harold G. Evans Professor of Eisenhower Leadership Studies. Through his service on the Commission on the Future, he was instrumental in bringing both the Eisenhower Institute and the Public Policy Program to Gettysburg College.
Upcoming Events:
- Nov. 17 | 11:30 a.m. ET: EI Live—Breaking Barriers with Gettysburg Mayor-elect Rita Frealing (Virtual)
- Dec. 1 | 12 p.m. ET: EI Live—Rethinking National Security with Annie Morgan ’06 (Virtual)
- Dec. 9 | 6:30 p.m. ET: An Evening with George Will (Virtual)
- Dec. 10 | 12:30 p.m. ET: Lessons from January 6 with Urban Rural Action's Joe Bubman (Virtual)
- Jan. 27 | 6:00 p.m. ET: An Evening with Jon Favreau (Virtual)
In the Media:
- Danny Sebright spoke with Defense News about the significance of an F-35 sale being negotiated between the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates.
- Char Weise of the EI Campus Advisory Council warned against looking to monetary or fiscal policy to solve the supply chain crisis in RealClearMarkets.
- Scott Boddery spoke with TribLive about the importance of judicial elections.
Student Spotlight:
- Nicole DeJacimo ’22 interned as a fact-checker at The Kiplinger Letter, where she worked regularly from Capitol Hill.
- Ethan Wilt ’23 has been selected as a Presidential Fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress.
- Vanessa Igras ’24 interned this summer at PEN America, a non-profit advancing free expression, literature, and human rights.
- Meem Noshin Nawal Khan ’24 presented her summer research project at Gettysburg College's X-SIG conference.
Alumni Updates:
- Ben Pontz ’20 shared reflections on the legacy of September 11 for LancasterOnline.
- Emily Hoffman ’20 joined the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a Human Resources Management Trainee.
We’d love to hear from you! Share your Eisenhower Institute alumni updates with ei@gettysburg.edu.
Make a Gift:
If you would like to make a gift to the Institute, you can do so by mail or online. Please contact our office with any questions at 717-337-6685.