It is a privilege to welcome the “Greatest Generation” and other visitors to Kansas University’s dedication of the Dole Institute of Politics.

The university is extremely proud of the building that honors Sen. Bob Dole and holds the papers that document his lifetime of public service to Kansas and the nation. The director of the institute, Richard Norton Smith, and his colleagues have created a building that soars to the horizon and reminds us of the power of exemplary lives.

Architecturally, the Dole Institute is a magnificent addition to a campus known for its beauty, but the true significance of the institute lies in its symbolism. Senator Dole is representative of an entire generation who risked their lives and their futures to ensure freedom and maintain American democracy.

At Senator Dole’s request, the Institute will not be focused on one individual, even one as accomplished and respected as the senator. The Dole Institute stands for all those patriots who left the security and safety of states like Kansas to protect the nation.

Inspired by the sacrifice of this generation, filled with Kansas pride in the public service which emanated from it, the university will dedicate its efforts to teach the lessons of these lives and the values they lived by.

The institute will find its greatest calling in the lives of the young people who visit this site and leave inspired to live a life of political activity that strengthens American democracy. KU could hope for nothing better than a future president of the United States whose dreams and ambitions began with a visit to the Dole Institute.