University of Dubuque President Travis Frampton to Deliver the Spring 2026 Michael Lester Wendt Character Lecture

DUBUQUE, Iowa - University of Dubuque President Travis Frampton, PhD, will deliver the Spring 2026 Michael Lester Wendt Character Lecture at 7:00 p.m. Monday, February 9, 2026, in John and Alice Butler Hall, Heritage Center.

Titled "Heroes, Villains, and Leading Roles: How Stories Shape Character," the lecture is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required.

Frampton will explore how stories shape character and how people cast themselves and others as either heroes, villains, or simple bystanders. The narratives people embody influence the lives they lead and the people they become. During the lecture, Frampton will invite audience members to examine the stories they construct, the stories they believe, and the stories they choose to live by in order to make sense of the world around them. He will share how reexamining foundational stories can open the door to growth, empathy, and transformation in a changing world.

"The most powerful stories are not necessarily the ones we are told; they are the ones we tell ourselves about who we are and who we believe others to be," Frampton said.

In June 2024, Frampton began his service to UD as the university's 12th president. Continuing the work of his predecessors, he has initiated significant advancements in his first year, including the process of establishing the John and Alice Butler College of Osteopathic Medicine (proposed, applicant seeking accreditation), a major expansion of the aviation program and the Edward Babka Aviation Learning Center, and the construction of the 75,000-square-foot Chlapaty Center for Innovation.

Born in Sacramento, California, Frampton was raised in Pinson, Alabama, where his love for learning took root during long hours spent exploring the woods near his childhood cul-de-sac. He has carried this early curiosity and interest in asking "big questions" about meaning and purpose throughout his life. A passionate reader, he is especially drawn to history, philosophy, theology, and practical essays - especially the writings of Montaigne. His intellectual interest in the humanities and the liberal arts continues to shape his vision for higher education today.

Prior to his appointment at UD, Frampton served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Schreiner University in Kerrville, Texas. He also was Schreiner's Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges liaison.

The lecture is presented by UD's Wendt Center for Character and Leadership as part of its vision to cultivate good character and lives of purpose for the common good in an ever-changing world. Guest lecturers in the fall and spring draw on their own lives of purpose to illuminate the pressing issues of our time and the diverse virtues - such as integrity, courage, justice, compassion, and practical wisdom - that guide us in meeting them.

For more information, please contact the Wendt Center at 563.589.3440 or [email protected].