LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Joni Ernst, a republican U.S. senator from Iowa, will headline the McConnell Center’s Distinguished Lecture Series Friday, Oct. 21, at the University of Louisville.
The free, public talk through the McConnell Center begins at 10 a.m. in Bigelow Hall, Miller Information Technology Center on UofL’s Belknap Campus.
Ernst is the first woman from Iowa elected to federal office and served in the military for 23 years. She also has the distinction of being the first female combat veteran elected to serve in the U.S. Senate.
In Washington, D.C., Ernst serves on four Senate committees: Armed Services; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
Known for her independent leadership and commitment to public service, Ernst previously was the Montgomery County Auditor where she worked to reduce government spending. As a state senator, she fought to balance the state budget and helped turn Iowa’s $900 million budget deficit into a $1 billion surplus.
The non-partisan McConnell Center, created in 1991, prepares Kentucky’s top college students to become leaders and offers civic education for teachers, students and the public. Its Distinguished Lecture Series has brought 48 high-profile leaders to UofL’s campus.
Tickets for Ernst’s talk can be requested at www.louisville.edu/mcconnellcenter