The Leslie G. Rude Memorial Lecture
Leslie G. Rude was an outstanding Hartwick College faculty member and administrator. Following his death in 1998, Professor Emerita Norma Hutman and Marion Rude established the Leslie G. Rude Memorial Lecture Series to reflect his passionate interest in political science and public speaking, and his commitment to public life.
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The Leslie G. Rude Memorial Lecture features a prominent speaker with expertise to share ideas with students, faculty, and community members about issues pertinent to the current political climate.
2026 Leslie G. Rude Memorial Lecture
New York State Senator James Skoufis
“Pay Your Damn Taxes! Holding Corporations Accountable to the Public”
Thursday, March 5
5-6 p.m.
Celebration Room, Shineman Chapel House
State Senator James Skoufis is a four term state senator after working his way up through the NYS Assembly and his local town board. He is currently the Chairman of the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations. He has made some national headlines by rigorously investigating both Governors Cuomo and Hochul. Additionally, he was in the news as a dark horse contender for the Chair of the DNC, before ultimately dropping out, endorsing Ken Martin, and being named to the "People's Cabinet" of the DNC.
Past Lectures Include:
- New York Lt. Governor Antonio Delgado, “Public Service in New York”
- Mike Mike McIntire ’85, P’13, P’21, “Investigative Journalism and Democracy”
- Zoe Oxley, “This One’s for the Boys: How Gendered Political Socialization Limits Girls’ Political Ambition and Interest”
- Caitlin (Dwyer) Jewitt ’06, Ph.D., “Primary Rules and the 2020 Presidential Nomination”
- Charles S. Crow ’72, J.D., “Justice, Philanthropy, and Luck: Fighting to Free “The Convicted Innocent”
- Michael Young ’83, “Mid-Century Resilience in the Face of Climate Extremes and Population Growth: How Lessons From the Lone Star State Can Benefit the Nation”
- James L. Seward ’73, H’99, “Politics, Protests and PR: Public service in the age of fake news, alt-left vs. alt-right, and Twitter wars”
- Mark Green, “The New Progressive Majority vs. The Fringe Fourth: Dems and Trends”
- Kira Sanbonmatsu, “More Women Can Run”
- John Zogby, “The First Globals and the Changing Demographics of America”
- Maria Sirois ’82, “The Authentic Voice, The Authentic Life”
- Francis ‘Buck’ Rodgers H’82, “The Essence of Leadership”
Questions?
For more information, contact Assistant Professor of Political Science & Pre-Law Program Coordinator, Matthew Chick, [email protected].