Washington County Sen. Bill Doyle is widely known as Vermont's longest-serving state senator. The Republican has kept his seat warm in the Vermont Senate since 1969. And for nearly as long, Doyle, who is also a professor at Johnson State College, has invited politicians to come speak to students enrolled in his Vermont politics course.Since 1972, Prof. Doyle's class has hosted the Vermont Politics Speaker Series, featuring politicians and political journalists from around the state. Each year he opens up his classroom and invites the community at large to attend guest lectures and debates.
So far this year the Vermont politics class has hosted local journalists Jon Margolis and Tom Kearney, as well as House Speaker and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Shap Smith. Here's the lineup for the rest of the semester:
- Sept. 21 – Bill Sorrell (D), Attorney General
- Sept. 28 – Sue Minter (D), Former Transportation Secretary, Gubernatorial Candidate
- Oct. 19 – Phil Scott (R), Lt. Governor, Gubernatorial Candidate
- Oct. 26 – Matt Dunne (D), Gubernatorial Candidate
- Nov. 2 – Jim Condos (D), Secretary of State
- Nov. 9 – Former Governor Jim Douglas (R)
- Nov. 16 – Former Governor Madeleine Kunin (D)
- Dec. 7 – Brandon Riker (D), Lt. Gubernatorial Candidate
- Dec. 14 – Bruce Lisman (R), Gubernatorial Candidate
The series takes place in the Ellsworth Rooms of the Willey Library & Learning Center on the Johnson State College campus, starting at 3 p.m. The college says last-minute schedule changes are possible. Please email Sandra Noyes or call 802-635-1340 the day of the event to confirm the schedule and location.
