On Monday, April 14, the Department of Government and Politics (GVPT) at the University of Maryland hosted the first installment of the Capitol Hill Lecture Series—an exciting new initiative designed to connect Maryland’s congressional delegation with the university community. This event was co-sponsored by the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement (CDCE) and the Maryland Democracy Initiative (MDI) and held at the David C. Driskell Center.

We were honored to welcome U.S. Congressman Glenn Ivey as the event’s inaugural speaker. The event brought together students, faculty, and local community members for a timely and candid conversation on the inner workings of Congress, the importance of public service, and the strength of American democracy.

The event began with opening remarks by Michael Hanmer, Director of CDCE. Hanmer emphasized the importance of strengthening connections between research universities and Capitol Hill. He also introduced the cosponsoring organizations, CDCE and MDI, highlighting their roles in fostering civic engagement and democratic participation.

Hanmer then introduced Lucian Jessel, a Government and Politics student and former district office staffer for Congressman Ivey, who provided a personal and thoughtful introduction of the Congressman.

Congressman Ivey opened his talk by sharing his personal journey to public service, reflecting on the motivations and challenges that have shaped his career. He encouraged students to view public service as a meaningful career path and offered practical advice on how to get involved.

Following his remarks, Congressman Ivey joined a moderated discussion with GVPT Department Chair Antoine Banks and Assistant Professor Breanna Gray. The panel explored a range of topics, including the importance of legislative oversight, executive accountability, federal budget negotiations, attacks on higher education, and the state of American democracy.

Reflecting on the discussion, Professor Gray shared,

“One of the main takeaways from Congressman Ivey’s talk is that despite the current state of politics, we do not have to feel hopeless.”

She continued,

“We can empower ourselves by attending local town hall meetings with elected officials, joining a campaign for the candidate that we believe in, or running for elected office ourselves to be the change that we want to see. He said that we should not be running away from politics at this time, despite how frustrated we may feel. Instead, the Congressman said that we should be getting even more politically involved to hold our elected officials accountable.”

Throughout the event, Congressman Ivey’s insights reflected his extensive experience across local, state, and federal government, offering students a unique and grounded perspective on political leadership.

The Capitol Hill Lecture Series is off to a strong start and will continue to provide opportunities for students, faculty, and community members to engage directly with their elected officials.

We look forward to welcoming more Maryland lawmakers to campus as the series continues.