Laura Kelly, Kansas Governor
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly visited Kansas State University to be the featured speaker for the Landon Lecture Series. The lecture took place at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 16, in Forum Hall at the K-State Student Union to help celebrate the 161st anniversary of the founding of the first land-grant university in the nation.
Kelly’s lecture centered around the health of the state of Kansas, its residents and its politics. This lecture was free and open to students, faculty, staff and the public. Doors opened at 11 a.m.
"As the first university in Kansas to embrace the health promoting university charter, K-State is deeply committed to the health and well-being of not just its students, faculty and staff but all communities across the state," said Marshall Stewart, chair of the Landon Lecture Series, university senior vice president and chief of staff. "Having Gov. Kelly deliver this lecture will provide us with insights into ways we can create a culture that contributes to bettering our people, our places and our planet."
With a four-term tenure as a state senator and currently serving as the 48th governor of Kansas, Kelly has dedicated her career to advocating for children and families. As governor, she has collaborated with both political parties to achieve a balanced state budget, secure funding for schools, address the state’s infrastructure needs, reform the child welfare system and achieve record-breaking business investment and job creation. Kelly concluded her first term with the largest budget surplus in state history while reducing taxes for working families.
In her second term as governor, Kelly continues her efforts to make Kansas the premier place in the country to raise a family. Her focus includes expanding accessible healthcare, supporting early childhood development and ensuring prosperity reaches every corner of the state.
One of the most prestigious lecture series offered at a U.S. college or university, the Alfred M. Landon Lecture Series was instituted in 1966 by former Kansas State University President James A. McCain. The series is a tribute to Alfred M. Landon, who served as governor of Kansas from 1933-1937 and delivered the first lecture in the series.