John A. Halbrook (’67) carries a vision that every Taylor student should gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the U.S. Constitution.
Established in 2015, the Halbrook Freedom Lecture series has brought the ideals of its namesake to life. The Halbrook Family Foundation gifted Taylor with the ability to bring in distinguished individuals involved in public service.
Taylor covers the travel expenses, honorarium and appropriate fees for the speakers.
Abby Kuzma, Halbrook distinguished chair of American government, views this as an opportunity for students to learn.
“Mr. Halbrook and the Halbrook Family Foundation seek to encourage students and the Taylor community to consider the importance of our Constitution, liberties and free enterprise system of government and this speaker series encourages learning and growth through the scholarship and thought leadership of these accomplished speakers,” she said.
On Oct. 1, Taylor will host the 6th annual Halbrook Freedom Lecture during chapel at 10 a.m. The speaker is Arthur Brooks, a professor of management practice at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Brooks is a world-recognized thought leader and scholar whose works explore economics, culture and modern politics.
Before serving on the Harvard faculty, Brooks was the president of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a Washington D.C. think-tank actively seeking engagement with those who hold different perspectives.
Under the leadership of Brooks, AEI doubled its annual revenues, reached a broader number of ideological beliefs and expanded research for poverty.
Brooks was selected to Fortune’s list of “World's 50 Greatest Leaders” in 2016.
Taylor University students engage with the works of Brooks in the class, “Pursuit of Happiness: Foundations and Future of American Government” taught by Kuzma.
“We have found his works to be inspiring and tremendously relevant to our exploration of how America is different and what it means to be an American,” Kuzma said. “His ideas are both thought provoking and deeply interesting and will be relevant to all of our students.”
Brooks has written 11 books including Love Your Enemies, The Conservative Heart and The Road to Freedom. He is also the subject of the 2019 Netflix documentary film “The Pursuit.”
In the past, Taylor has brought in individuals with similar backgrounds. Some of the prior Halbrook Freedom Lecture speakers include former Senator Richard Lugar, former Representative Lee Hamilton and former Special Assistant to George W. Bush Tim Goeglein.
