Fred Sondermann taught in CC’s Department of Political Science from 1953 until his death in 1978. He conceived the idea for a presidential symposium and directed the first one in 1968. The symposium’s success was such that the department decided to offer the presidential symposium in subsequent presidential election years, and Sondermann continued to direct them through 1976. The 2016 Sondermann Presidential Symposium, organized by Assistant Political Science Professors Elizabeth Coggins and Dana Wittmer Wolfe, is the 13th in a series that has become a signature college program. This year’s speakers included:

Donna Brazile, veteran Democratic political strategist, television political commentator, syndicated columnist, and interim director of the DNC, on Sept. 1.

A symposium panel, featuring alumni Vince Bzdek ’82 and Eric Sondermann ’76 and and Political Science Professors Bob Loevy and Tom Cronin, discussed “Colorado Politics 2016: The Big Races and the Ballot Issues,” on Sept. 6.

David Axelrod P’09, former chief strategist and senior advisor to President Barack Obama, gave a lecture titled “Uncharted Waters” on Sept. 6, and met with students for breakfast the following morning in Slocum Commons.

Gwen Ifill, moderator and managing editor of “Washington Week” and co-anchor and managing editor of the “PBS  News-Hour,” taped two programs on Sept. 9, “Washington Week with Gwen Ifill: Colorado Edition” and “Washington Week EXTRA: Colorado Edition.” She also met with Coggins and Wolfe’s political science classes. Ifill passed away on Nov. 14, 2016.

Marc Hetherington, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University, delivered the Block 3  First Mondays talk, titled “Worlds Apart: The Nature of Party Polarization and How We Might Overcome It,” on Oct. 24. He also met with two political science classes and attended the Election Fellows dialogue, an initiative designed to get students talking in meaningful ways about the election.

Congressman Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House of Representatives, well known as the architect of the “Contract with America,” and Fox News contributor and author, spoke on Nov. 2, discussing the factors that propelled Donald Trump to where he was at that point in the election cycle.

Jamelle Bouie, chief political correspondent for Slate magazine, where he writes on national politics, spoke on Sept. 27 in Kathryn Mohrman Theatre.

Sarah Treul Roberts gave a noon presentation on Election Day, Nov. 8, addressing the possible electoral outcomes. An assistant professor at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, she specializes in American political institutions, with an emphasis on the U.S. Congress. She met with Coggins’ class in the morning.

Jason Roberts held a post-election debriefing on Nov. 9. An associate professor of political science at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Roberts stayed up late on election night, updating his presentation and analysis as the results came in. He focuses on the U.S. Congress, congressional elections, and the historical development of political institutions. He met with Coggins’ class prior to the discussion.