James L. “Skip” Rutherford III, a Batesville native and a long-standing figure in Arkansas politics, is coming home to host a weekly seminar on the 2022 midterm elections.
Rutherford (pictured), who is also a Lyon College Board of Trustees member and holds the title of Dean Emeritus of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, hosts his class ahead of the November midterm elections, as 435 positions in the United States House of Representatives and 34 United States Senate seats, as well as several Governors and assorted offices, are up for election.
With elections and politics being a seemingly constant topic of debate in today’s discussion landscape, it makes sense that Rutherford wanted to host a class encouraging healthy discourse around the ever-evolving topic, the college said in a release announcing the weekly seminar.
Rutherford, who also was a key advisor on Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign and later served as president of the Clinton Foundation, said he hopes to open some classes to community members as well.
“When Professor Scott Roulier asked if I would consider teaching at Lyon this fall, I was honored to do so,” Rutherford said. “Not only does it give me the opportunity to participate at this fine college, but it enables me to return to my hometown and connect with many friends.”
It should also be noted that the seminar takes place in the Dr. Mark Schram Memorial Outdoor Classroom on the Lyon College campus, but might be held indoors or remotely depending on factors such as weather, COVID, and guest speaker availability.
Rutherford is teaching the course for free as a public service, according to Lyon.
Images provided by Lyon College
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