Bob Graham Center for Public Service

Former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY) spoke Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. in the Pugh Hall Ocora. President Obama appointed Sen. Simpson in 2010 as co-chair of the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform along with former President Clinton’s Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles. The commission released a report that was praised for …

The University of Florida commemorated 50 years of the Florida Constitution with two panel discussions focused on constitutional revision. “Florida Constitution at 50 Years: Looking Ahead to the 2017 Revision Commission” was held from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8 in the Chesterfield Smith Ceremonial Classroom, Room 180, Holland Hall, at UF’s Levin College of …

The Voting Rights Act, signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson on August 6, 1965, aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote under the 15th Amendment. The act significantly widened the franchise and is considered among the most far-reaching pieces of …

While in the U.S. Senate, Tom Harkin was one of the main authors of the landmark 1990 Americans With Disabilities Act as well as the chief Senate sponsor of the legislation. Harkin's older brother, Frank, was deaf. His struggles were behind many of the younger brother's efforts to help the disabled. The act was signed …

This program looked back at the many contributions of UF in support of the archaeological and historic preservation of St. Augustine.  Highlighted projects will included: the opening of First Colonies Exhibit at the Florida Museum of Natural History, an unveiling of the new web application--Unearthing St. Augustine's Colonial Heritage, and University of Florida Historic St. …

Celeste Mergens is the founder and international executive director of Days for Girls, an award-winning nonprofit which has been featured in Oprah's O Magazine and has been named by the Huffington Post as one of  the  ten  organizations  that  will  "help  shape  the  next decade." Mergens gave a passionate and inspiring talk at the Bob …

From Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay, from inside the jaws of an alligator to the storms that race across the blackwater backcountry, award-winning conservation photographer Mac Stone takes us on a visual journey through the Everglades. His photography showcases the natural beauty of this unique wetland, capturing the amazing depths of its landscapes, the diversity of its wildlife, …

Among the most important issues facing Florida today is the threatened condition of state waters and waterways. Polluted rivers, diminished lakes, and disappearing springs place our quality of life and economic vitality at risk.  On Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m., in the Pugh Hall Ocora, the University of Florida’s PIE Center and the Bob …

Maryn McKenna is an award-winning journalist and the author of two critically acclaimed books, Superbug (2010) and Beating Back the Devil (2004). She writes for Wired, Scientific American, Slate, Nature, the Atlantic, the Guardian and others, and is a Senior Fellow of the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University. McKenna gave a riveting and fascinating talk at …

The purpose of this discussion was to promote better understanding of the diverse impacts of Alachua County’s criminal justice system through an open dialogue among community groups.  Better awareness can reduce the unintended consequences of interactions between people and the legal system. We will begin the conversation with a forum that will be followed by round …