ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y., Oct. 24, 2023 — Two former members of the U.S. House of Representatives will visit St. Bonaventure University Nov. 13 and 14 to meet with students and hold a public forum as part of the Congress to Campus program.

 

 

The public forum, free and open to all, will be held from 7-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, in the University Conference Center in Doyle Hall. Hartzler and LaRocco will address issues and controversies expected to arise in the 2024 elections.

 

St. Bonaventure is a regular participant in Congress to Campus, the flagship program of the Association of Former Members of Congress. Every two years, the university welcomes to campus bipartisan teams of former members of Congress, congressional staff, and American diplomats for two days of classroom visits and dialogue with students.

 

The visit is intended to bring today’s issues to the forefront and showcase the benefits of healthy partisanship and civility within disagreement. Congress to Campus also provides students with unique perspectives into careers in public service, including how to run for political office, managing work/life balance on Capitol Hill, and the thrill of debating legislation on the House or Senate floor.

 

The St. Bonaventure program is organized by the Department of Political Science at St. Bonaventure, under the direction of Dr. Josiah Lambert, retired associate professor of political science. Lambert continues to teach at the university as an adjunct instructor.

 

“American politics are becoming increasingly fraught, as U.S. allies face major wars in the Middle East and in Ukraine,” Lambert said. “Meanwhile, as of Oct. 23, the U.S. House of Representatives has lacked a speaker and been unable to conduct business, including providing funding for our allies or a budget for the executive branch.

 

“Our guests are coming to St. Bonaventure in the spirit of compromise to discuss ways for the United States to address these challenges in a bipartisan manner. They will meet with students and others to demonstrate how Democrats and Republicans can work together to promote the national interest in these challenging times.”

 

Hartzler and LaRocco will begin their visit with a Monday morning meeting with University President Dr. Jeff Gingrich. They will engage with students in several morning classes before having lunch with student leaders on campus. Afternoon activities include meeting with student members of campus media organizations, a reception and dinner, followed by the 7 p.m. community forum.

 

On Tuesday, Hartzler and LaRocco will visit two classes in the Jandoli School of Communication and participate in a Model Senate session in which they will serve as “expert witnesses,” giving testimony to a Model Senate committee. Their visit ends following lunch with Model Senate students.

 

To learn more about Hartzler, LaRocco, and Congress to Campus, visit www.sbu.edu/c2c.

 

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. Out of 167 regional universities in the North, St. Bonaventure was ranked #6 for value and #14 for innovation by U.S. News and World Report (2024).