‘Virginia at 250’ symposium on Sept. 1 features two former governors and leading political analysts

By Pam Cox

As America commemorates its 250th anniversary this year, Virginia Commonwealth University's L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs and the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences will bring together distinguished leaders and political scholars for a free public symposium - "Virginia at 250: Leadership, Democracy and the Future of Our Commonwealth" - on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The event, from 5 to 7 p.m., will be held at the W.E. Singleton Center for the Performing Arts, 922 Park Ave., on VCU's Monroe Park Campus. Registration is required.

The conversation will feature L. Douglas Wilder, 66th governor of Virginia; Ambassador Jim Gilmore, 68th governor of Virginia and former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Larry Sabato, Ph.D., founder and director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics; and Robyn Diehl McDougle, Ph.D., interim dean of the Wilder School and director of the Commonwealth Poll. Political analyst Bob Holsworth, Ph.D., will moderate the discussion.

Together, the panelists will examine Virginia's history and its continuing role in American democracy while exploring the leadership challenges and opportunities facing the commonwealth and nation in the years ahead. The gathering is an opportunity to hear from two former Virginia governors, alongside leading scholars and analysts of Virginia politics and public policy, at a pivotal moment in the nation's history.

"Virginia has played a defining role in the American experiment, and its history offers important lessons for the choices before us today," McDougle said. "As we continue celebrating America's 250th anniversary, this symposium gives us an opportunity not only to reflect on that legacy but to bring together leaders and scholars whose experiences can help us think critically about the future of public service, civic engagement and democratic leadership."

The symposium reflects the shared commitment of the Wilder School and VCU's College of Humanities and Sciences to advancing civic engagement, public dialogue and interdisciplinary collaboration.

"The 250th anniversary of our nation invites us to consider both the history that has shaped us and the possibilities that lie ahead," said Catherine Ingrassia, Ph.D., dean of the college. "By partnering with the Wilder School, we are creating a forum where history, politics and public service intersect, encouraging our students and community to engage with ideas that will help shape the next chapter of our democracy."

Registration and additional information are available at bit.ly/VA250Wilder.

MEDIA NOTE: Members of the media are invited to a media availability with Governor Wilder and the symposium panelists at 4 p.m. Sept. 1, prior to the event. Media planning to attend the availability or cover the Wilder Symposium should register in advance and contact Pam Cox at [email protected] or 804-404-5081.

About the speakers

Douglas Wilderis the 66th governor of Virginia and the nation's first elected African American governor, serving from 1990 to 1994. Governor Wilder graduated from Virginia Union University and Howard University School of Law and later established a legal practice in Richmond. He served five terms in the Virginia Senate before taking office as lieutenant governor of Virginia. In 2005, he took office as the first directly elected mayor of the city of Richmond in decades.

Ambassador James Gilmore III served as U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe from 2019 to 2021 and as the 68th governor of Virginia from 1998 to 2002. A Richmond native, Gilmore previously served as Virginia attorney general and as commonwealth's attorney for Henrico County. A graduate of the University of Virginia and its School of Law, he also served in the U.S. Army as a counterintelligence agent in West Germany. During his tenure as governor, Gilmore focused on tax relief, education and technology, including establishing the nation's first state cabinet-level technology secretariat.

Larry Sabato, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized political analyst, author and University Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia. A Rhodes Scholar, he is the founder and director of UVA's Center for Politics and leads Sabato's Crystal Ball, known for its nonpartisan political analysis and election forecasting. Sabato has authored or edited two dozen books on American politics and is a frequent commentator on national and international news programs. He earned his doctorate in politics from Oxford University.

Robyn Diehl McDougle, Ph.D., is interim dean of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs and director of the VCU Wilder School Commonwealth Poll. She previously served as the school's associate dean for research and outreach. Under the leadership of Governor Wilder, McDougle established the Commonwealth Poll, which examines Virginians' views on elections, public policy and issues affecting the commonwealth and nation. The poll was approved as a CNN presidential poll in 2020.

Bob Holsworth, Ph.D., is one of Virginia's leading political analysts and the founding director of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is managing partner of DecideSmart and previously served as dean of VCU's College of Humanities and Sciences. A frequent commentator on Virginia and national politics, Holsworth has been featured by major news organizations including The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, as well as national television networks and the BBC. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Catherine Ingrassia, Ph.D., is dean of VCU's College of Humanities and Sciences and a professor of English. An accomplished scholar of 18th-century British literature, with a particular focus on women writers, Ingrassia has published seven books and has held leadership roles in several national academic organizations, as well as within VCU. She earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Texas at Austin.