About the Dole Institute
Mission
The mission of the bi-partisan Dole Institute is to promote political and civic involvement, especially among young people, encourage civil discussion on important issues, emphasize that politics is an honorable profession, and provide opportunities for all to interact with political leaders, practitioners and writers.
History
Shortly after the 1996 presidential election, University of Kansas Chancellor Robert Hemenway approached Senator Dole with a proposal that he entrust his congressional papers, accrued over 35 years of public service, to KU--the university he attended before military service in WW II interrupted his studies. The University was eager to build upon the research potential of this collection and create an institute that would offer opportunities for the public and for students of all ages and all backgrounds—from KU and across the nation—to discover how they might best serve their communities, their states, and the nation.
Senator Dole immediately agreed, but insisted that he wanted no personal monument. Rather, he favored creation of a non-partisan forum, dedicated to public service, training for leadership, and promoting the ideal that politics is an honorable profession.
We're still working on this page and will have additional content and photos, to include highlights from the Institute's 2003 Dedication.
Check back later.
