SPARTANBURG, S.C. — With the addition of two prominent national figures, a Wofford College lecture series is diving deeper into the twists, tonal extremes and stakes of the 2024 presidential race. 

Free and open to the public, “Defining or Dividing?: Contemporary Issues in American Culture” now includes: 

  • Michael Steele, former chair of the Republican National Committee and current MSNBC host
    “How to Win Elections and Lose the Country”
    Monday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. in Leonard Auditorium 
  • Claire McCaskill, former Democratic U.S. senator from Missouri and current MSNBC/NBC News political analyst
    “The Future of American Democracy”
    Monday, Oct. 21, at 6 p.m. in Leonard Auditorium 

The speaker series, which kicked off in January, meets a responsibility that Wofford leaders embrace. 

“At a higher education institution, it’s important to present different and divergent perspectives about social and political issues that affect our community, nation and world,” says Dr. Nayef Samhat, president of Wofford College. “We are honored to share this series with our students, faculty and the entire Upstate.” 

Other high-profile speakers add to the discussion at Wofford. 

  • The Hon. J. Michelle Childs, a judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, will deliver this year’s Linton R. Dunson Constitution Day Lecture. Judge Childs will present “The Constitution and the Rule of Law: Linchpins to the Preservation of Democracy” at 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, in Leonard Auditorium. That event also is free and open to the public. 
  • Emily Harding of the Center for Strategic and International Studies will present “The Strengths and Vulnerabilities of Our Elections Systems.” Harding, a former CIA analyst, will speak on Thursday, Sept. 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in McMillan Theater. 
  • Phillip Swagel, director of the Congressional Budget Office, will speak on Tuesday, Oct. 29. (The Wofford venue is to be determined.) Swagel, a professor of economic policy at the University of Maryland, previously served as assistant secretary of the Treasury for economic policy. He played a vital role in developing the U.S. government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program aimed at easing the financial crisis of 2007-08. 

The “Defining or Dividing?” series continues Thursday, Nov. 14, with Clemson history professor Vernon Burton presenting “Justice Deferred: Race and the Supreme Court.” Burton, former director of the Clemson Cyberinstitute, will speak at 6 p.m. in the Olin Teaching Theater.