Volume 3 | Issue 2
Institute Hosts Dr. Lawrence H. Summers
Dr. Lawrence H. Summers—71st U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and President Emeritus of Harvard University—recently joined the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for a timely and wide-ranging conversation moderated by Dr. Chris Howard, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Arizona State University. With characteristic clarity and insight, Dr. Summers addressed key issues shaping both the domestic and global economy. Dr. Howard’s moderation brought both rigor and warmth to the conversation, underscoring the Institute’s commitment to fostering civil discourse on complex policy issues.
While offering a candid assessment of current challenges, Dr. Summers concluded on an inspiring note. He reminded the audience that throughout American history—whether during the founding era, the Civil War, or the Great Depression—periods of uncertainty and polarization have given rise to American renewal. In each case, he noted, the nation has emerged stronger and more resilient.
The Sandra Day O’Connor Institute was honored to welcome Dr. Summers as the featured guest for its Patrons Circle Distinguished Speaker Series Luncheon in Phoenix. The event drew a full house of Patrons Circle members and distinguished guests, who expressed deep appreciation for the thoughtful discussion.
New Citizens Guide to the Federal Budget
The federal budget process is a complex web of steps, rules, and players, including lesser-known but powerful figures like the Senate Parliamentarian. To make sense of it all, we’ve created the Citizens Guide to the Federal Budget, which breaks down the process into clear, accessible sections. Start with a big-picture overview, then dive deep to explore how our national budget actually moves, from proposal to passage, through a system that’s as intricate as it is consequential.
Civic Education and the Future of American Democracy
A Conversation with Jeffrey Sikkenga
At a time when civic knowledge is in decline, political scientist Jeffrey Sikkenga makes the case that the health of our democracy depends on how—and whether—we teach American principles.
Sikkenga, executive director of the Ashbrook Center, joined the O’Connor Institute to discuss A Republic, If We Can Teach It, which he coauthored with Hoover Institution fellow David Davenport. The book explores the challenges facing civic education today and argues that a strong republic requires citizens who understand and value its constitutional foundations. What role should schools, parents, and institutions play in preparing the next generation for informed, engaged citizenship?
“Just Keep Walking" — Justice O’Connor’s Graduation Wisdom
At Colorado College’s 1982 commencement, where her own son Brian was graduating, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor joked that commencement speakers are often lawyers “because they’re used to talking extensively even when they have nothing to say.”
But her message was clear: your individual voice matters. She told graduates that some of the most persuasive arguments she’d heard, both in the Arizona Senate and on the Supreme Court, came from unknown citizens and small-town lawyers. “The individual,” she said, “can make things happen.”
Her parting advice? Choose a worthy direction. Then take one step at a time. Some steps will be hard, others boring, but do each one as well as you can—and keep going. From the first woman on the Supreme Court, it was a reminder that persistence, not pedigree, shapes a meaningful life.
