Step beyond the familiar headlines and into the decisions that quietly reshaped the world we live in. In this engaging session, we revisit the presidency of Harry S. Truman—not as a footnote defined by a single moment, but as a force behind the modern global order. From the Oval Office of a plainspoken Missourian, a […]
The American Dream is one of those ideas everyone thinks they understand until you start peeling it back — and suddenly it becomes a conversation about identity, opportunity, struggle, and belonging. Join us for a moderated panel and community Q&A as we explore how immigrants and refugees define, pursue, and reshape this iconic national ideal. […]
With the Commander of the American Forces from Virginia, four of the first five Presidents from Virginia, the authors of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution from Virginia, an early Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from Virginia, multiple signers of the Declaration of Independence from Virginia and, indeed, the very […]
ESU Members and Friends of ESU are invited to a special fundraiser luncheon on Saturday, June 27, to hear the remarkable journeys of our two most recent ESU Kansas City Branch First Place Winners as they performed in our annual Shakespeare Competition. Together, they will offer a fascinating look at the hard work, discipline, and passion for Shakespeare that culminated in this outstanding accomplishment.
Macbeth is a Shakespearian tragedy play that tells the story of a brave Scottish general named Macbeth who receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders the King Duncan and soon becomes a tyrannical ruler marked by […]
Dear Friends, Thank you again for being part of the truly special week in New York City this past April — a week that brought together the Annual General Conference, the National Shakespeare Competition, and, as its highlight, the Celebrate Legacy – Inspire the Future reception marking the 25th anniversary of the ESU House and […]
Every four years, the World Cup brings together fans from around the globe to celebrate the most widely popular sport in the world: football (or soccer, if you’re American). This year’s tournament broke a number of records, including the most teams ever competing (48) and the first time three countries have co-hosted the event (Mexico, Canada, and the United States). Not only does the major sporting event have a rich and complicated history, but this year’s historic nature introduces brand new impacts for Kansas City as a first-time host city. After six games, guests in the hundreds of thousands, and complicated shifts in politics and infrastructure, Kansas City will end the summer much differently than it was at the start.
During the 250th Anniversary of the birth of our nation, many focus on the colonial activities centering around New England. A little-known event occurred in North Carolina in the little village of Halifax that helped turn the tide and create our nation. The Halifax Resolves and the three North Carolina Delegates that attended the Second […]
Join us for a special nonpartisan community discussion designed to help voters better understand the upcoming August primary elections in Kansas and Missouri before heading to the polls. We will not be endorsing any particular candidate or telling anyone how to vote, just explaining the ballot questions.
Step into a gripping dialogue with acclaimed prize-winning historical biographer Flora Fraser and Doug Bradburn, President and CEO of George Washington’s Mount Vernon, as they reexamine the American Revolution through a provocative lens. This conversation challenges the familiar narrative of unity and independence. It reveals a nation divided—neighbors, friends, even families torn apart by opposing allegiances. Was this truly a revolution, or America’s first civil war? Through vivid storytelling and historical insight, Fraser and Bradburn explore the deeply personal conflicts between those who risked everything for independence and those who remained steadfastly loyal to the British Crown.
The trade war has become the new normal. Drawing on original Trade War Lab survey research, attendees will learn how businesses in our region are navigating tariffs, uncertainty, supply chain shifts, and the politics of U.S.-China competition. Data from the Trade War Lab 2025 Tariff Impact Survey shows that many firms say tariffs hurt them, but relatively few take political action in response. Is the securitization of trade policy why costly and ineffective trade policies persist in this country? Come and see how the KU Trade War Lab conducts timely, regionally relevant research to help Kansas City businesses, associations, and policymakers make sense of a complex and rapidly changing trade landscape.
As ESU Happy Hours continue to salute America’s 250th birthday, we turn to the great state of Connecticut. By the mid-to-late 1700’s, western Connecticut had developed as a quiet, agricultural “backwater,” landlocked and insulated from the politics and secessionist turmoil of the big colonial cities. Nevertheless, during the Revolutionary War, Connecticut earned the nickname “The Provisions State,” by supplying vast amounts of meat, grain, clothing, and weaponry to General George Washington’s Continental Army, and was second only to Massachusetts in the number of men serving in the war.
In this sharp, soulful, and unfiltered follow-up to Pimps & Preachers, Dr. Nicole Price—aka the original Holy, Educated Muthaf*cka—calls in the over-functioners, the peacemakers, and the brilliant-but-exhausted humans who are tired of being “nice” when what’s needed is real. Rooted in radical empathy, this session explores how to stay spiritually grounded, emotionally clear, and intellectually sharp—even when you’re surrounded by noise, nonsense, or outright foolishness. Because real empathy isn’t about absorbing every emotion in the room—it’s about knowing where to focus your energy.
Join us for one of our favorite social events of the year—a tea party celebrating King Charles III’s upcoming 78th birthday in November. It’s an ESU Tea Party with plenty of charm, delicious treats, and a setting fit for a king.
Despite there being no logical reason to say the opposite of what you mean, and many people dismissing sarcasm as maladaptive, full of contempt, and “bad for you”, its use is ubiquitous. So, why would anybody use verbal irony and sarcasm, if we risk not only being misunderstood, but possibly worse? Newer science says that irony is actually good for you! It can help regulate emotions, foster creativity, and manage social relationships. This lecture will discuss science related to sarcasm, from examples and prevalence of sarcasm in the world around us, what happens in your brain when you encounter it, and how we can use this communicative superpower to our advantage.