By Mary Richardson

The McLeod Lecture Series that will take place during the 2023 McNeese Banners Series is designed to inspire some soul searching about our state. The topic is “Inspiring Generations to Civic Engagement” and it will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 9, in the Contraband Room of the Lake Charles Civic Center. Panelists who hold several different political philosophies will gather to discuss how to inspire people to serve.

“So, why do people become public servants in this age of difficult civic discourse,” asks Adam Knapp, who will moderate the discussion. “People seem to go to extremes to antagonize the other side,” Knapp said. “There is a distrust of government, and a dissatisfaction with government – and this has to change.

The entire panel is made up of (relatively) young people with parents or relatives who served the public, and who have been inspired by these forebearers to enter the fray themselves. “We need to focus on the needs and goals of our state of Louisiana,” Knapp said. “We need to find a way to serve, not just because we need to help our kids – the future generation, but to find value in others, and regain each other’s trust.”

The McLeod Lecture Series was developed and organized in 2004 by the McLeod Endowment Committee by co-chairs Paul Hart Miller, Ann Knapp, and Sara Judson.  The influence of the McLeod Lecture Series has spread beyond the public panel discussions. In addition, the McNeese Library Archives added greatly to its collection of political history, starting with the donation of records and artifacts of Bill McLeod donated by his family and the establishment of the Southwest Louisiana Legislative Archives Collection. Also, a McNeese student has been selected each year by McNeese faculty member & McLeod Endowed Professor Dr. Henry Sirgo to write and present a paper on a political topic.

This year’s panelists are State Representative Greg Miller (Republican representing St. Charles and St. John the Baptist Parishes) and son of “Young Turk” Ralph Miller;  State Senator Jeremy Stine (Republican serving Calcasieu Parish) whose uncles Dennis and Tim Stine served as State Commissioner of Administration and as a State Representative, respectively; Dr. Kim Hunter-Reed, commissioner of Higher Education, (and former KPLC anchor); Pilar Blanco Eble, Vice Chancellor of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the Baton Rouge Community Foundation, and daughter of former Governor Kathleen Blanco; and Tyron Picard, owner of the Picard Group and former chair of the Council for a Better Louisiana and son of the late Cecil Picard who served as state Superintendent of Education after having served in the state legislature.

Knapp himself says he was influenced by watching both his parents, Ann and Lenn Knapp. His mother served as a senior leader in Mayor Willie Mount’s Administration when he was in high school, and his father served as District Attorney. After graduating from Barbe High School, he attended Davidson College in North Carolina and then worked in the area of technology consulting.

Politics drew him back to Louisiana in 2002 when he served as Economic Development Policy Advisor under Governor Mike Foster. After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita he became the Deputy Director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. In 2008 he became CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber where he has focused his efforts on economic development, economic policy and entrepreneurship policy.

This year’s panel discussion follows a long line of distinguished lectures. It all began in 2004 with a program entitled “The Young Turks” in honor of the late Honorable William Lasater “Bill” McLeod Jr., former legislator and judge. McLeod was one of the reform minded legislators elected in 1968 who wanted to bring about legislative reforms and legislative independence. “These ‘Young Turks’ hold a special place in Louisiana Legislative history,” according to Paul Hart Miller. “They bucked the system,” he said. “They brought about accountability and they blazed the trail that led to a new state constitution in 1973. Their reforms still impact our state government today.”

In the years between 2004 and 2013, the McLeod Lecture Series was broadcast statewide by LPB and left a legacy of spirited discussions about many aspects of government.

The second lecture in 2005 was entitled “The Power of Politics: A Forum of Governors.” Three governors, Mike Foster, Buddy Roemer and Dave Treen, traded stories, inspiring much laughter. The current governor Kathleen Blanco taped a tribute to McLeod, and the only other living governor at the time, Edwin Edwards, came close to being able to attend via video. “That was squashed at the last minute,” Miller recalled, “but it almost happened.”

Other lectures explored topics such as the worlds of press secretaries to governors, the legacy of Louisiana’s elected women, the right-to-work law, and the role of the Speaker of the House. The stage often looked like the Who’s Who of Louisiana politics.

In 2007, John B. Breaux and J. Bennett Johnston talked together about Louisiana’s influence in the United States Senates. And in 2008, four Louisiana congressmen – Jimmy Hayes, Chris John, Claude “Buddy” Leach and W. Henson Moore — shared their experiences.

The last lecture filmed by LPB was prescient in its topic – “Overcoming Gridlock in a Partisan Environment.” A panel of Dennis Stine, Bob Mann, Rev. Raymond Jetson was moderated by Beth Courtney.

Now, a decade later, the McLeod lecture is still delving into issues of gridlock, disillusionment, and its effect on public service.

Adam is hopeful that a new generation of Young Turks will emerge. “The legacy of Bill McLeod lives on in the next generation,” Knapp said, “so it’s seems on point that we can delve into some of these important topics in his honor. I hope I can pick up a few tips from our panelists at this event that I can pass on in my family and community.”