Lyon College Invites Public to Lecture on George Washington and the Origins of Executive Power
BATESVILLE, Arkansas – Lyon College will launch its 2024-25 Convocation speaker series with a lecture by Dr. Denver Brunsman, associate professor and chair of the history department at George Washington University, on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 4 p.m. in the Nucor Auditorium of the Lyon Business and Economics Building on the Lyon College campus, 2300 Highland Rd., Batesville.
The free event is open to the public.
The lecture, “Neither to Stretch, nor Relax: George Washington and the Origins of Executive Power,” will explore the foundation of executive authority through the lens of America’s first president, George Washington.
Dr. Brunsman will examine how Washington shaped the presidency by balancing the need for a strong executive office with the legal limits imposed by the Constitution. As president of the Philadelphia Convention and later the nation’s first president, Washington faced pivotal decisions that defined the role of executive power in the early United States. His leadership provides key insights into current discussions surrounding the limits of executive authority, a particularly relevant issue as the nation approaches the next presidential election.
“This is an incredible opportunity for our students and community to hear from one of the leading scholars on George Washington,” said Kieran O’Keefe, assistant professor of history at Lyon College. “Denver Brunsman’s work on Washington and the origins of executive power provides a timely perspective on how the first president navigated the challenges of his role—an issue that still resonates today.”
Dr. Brunsman is an expert in early American history and the life of George Washington. He is the author of “The Evil Necessity: British Naval Impressment in the 18th-Century Atlantic World” and coauthor of the textbook “Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People.” His publications also include e-books such as “Leading Change: George Washington and Establishing the Presidency” and “George Washington and the Establishment of the Federal Government.”
A recipient of multiple teaching awards at George Washington University, Dr. Brunsman leads the popular course “George Washington and His World,” taught annually at Washington’s Mount Vernon estate.
For more information about the event, please contact Carol Langston, director of college communications, at Carol.Langston@lyon.edu.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current membership chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.