On Monday, November 3, Mark K. Updegrove, President and CEO of the LBJ Foundation, presented “Make Your Mark: Lessons in Character from Seven Presidents” as part of the LBJ Distinguished Lecture Series. Introduced by President Damphousse, over 300 students (including some 200 poli sci students), faculty, and staff attended Updegrove’s lecture. The talk drew on his book by the same title published by Harper Collins in 2025). The former director of the LBJ Presidential Library, Updegrove’s articles have appeared in a wide variety of publications, and he is a former publisher of Newsweek. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Politico, and TIME – offering unique insight into presidential leadership and character.
His presentation offered insights into the lives and works of seven modern United States presidents. He suggested that there is no “one-size-fits-all model for leadership,” and highlighted the unique traits of each of the seven presidents. In his talk, he highlights the following traits:
- Gerald Ford’s instinct to do the right thing in the wake of Watergate;
- Jimmy Carter’s mission to do good in the areas of peace and human rights;
- Ronald Reagan’s optimism, restoring the nation’s confidence and pride;
- George H.W. Bush’s humility, helping to ensure a peaceful end to the Cold War;
- Bill Clinton’s resilience in the face of political and personal obstacles;
- George W. Bush’s charge to give back as the deadly AIDS epidemic spread unchecked through much of the developing world;
- and Barack Obama’s grace as the first African American to hold the country’s highest office.
The former director of the LBJ Presidential Library, Updegrove’s articles have appeared in a wide variety of publications including The New York Times, Politico, and TIME.
One student who attended said, “It was fascinating to have these interesting presidents humanized and respected for their contributions. Updegrove was engaging and knowledgeable, which made the whole experience amazing.”
The event was hosted by the office of President Kelly Damphousse and co-hosted with the Department of Political Science, Department of History, and College of Education.
