DECATUR, Ill. – is pleased to welcome former U.S. Representative and CNN Political Commentator Adam Kinzinger for an evening of political discussion on Monday, September 30, at 7 p.m. at Kirkland Fine Arts Center on ¼ϲʹٷվ’s campus. This event is free and open to the public.
Made possible by the Thomas W. Ewing Lecture Fund in partnership with the , Rep. Kinzinger’s presentation is titled “A Conversation with Congressman Adam Kinzinger” and will touch on his time in public service.
Pulling from his six terms in the House of Representatives, Congressman Kinzinger brings the audience through his thought processes as he witnessed firsthand the changes in our government and how he made the decision to stand against his party for what he calls the sanctity of his country.
For Rep. Kinzinger, service to country has been the guiding principle of his life and career — first as a member of the armed forces and later as a lawmaker in the halls of Congress.
As one of two Republicans on the January 6th Committee, Rep. Kinzinger broke from his party in pursuit of democracy and justice. Shortly after the insurrection at the Capitol, Congressman Kinzinger started the , which has grown rapidly to over 300,000 members today and counting.
Kinzinger recounts his story of faith, service and political duty in a democracy under siege in his New York Times bestselling memoir “Renegade.”
and gave a speech about why he was crossing party lines and supporting Vice President Kamala Harris in the November elections.
From Bloomington, Ill., Congressman Kinzinger served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011-2022, proudly representing Illinois’ 16th Congressional District, which stretches across 14 counties in Northern Illinois. While in Congress, Kinzinger served as a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he served as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy and the Environment in the 116th Congress.
He also served on the nonpartisan Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. His top priorities included strengthening U.S. energy policy and making our nation less reliant on foreign resources, as well as bolstering the strength of our national security — both at home and abroad.
Before being elected to Congress, Kinzinger served in the Air Force in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Kinzinger continues to serve his country as a pilot in the Air National Guard, with the current rank of Lieutenant Colonel and balanced this service with his duties in Congress.
About the Thomas W. Ewing Lectureship
The Thomas W. Ewing Lectureship was created by ¼ϲʹٷվ and Congressman Ewing’s colleagues in recognition of his many years of public service. Ewing, a 1957 ¼ϲʹٷվ graduate, retired in 2001 after serving nine years in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 15th District of Illinois. The lectures focus on public policy and service, and visiting lecturers are selected based on their prominence in those fields and their ability to inspire others to serve.
