President George W. Bush, National Leaders Headline Launch of New National Academy for Free Expression and Pluralism at the University of Denver

• A fire-side chat with President George W. Bush and The Miller National Academy Executive Director Mary Kate Cary, who served as a speechwriter for President George H.W. Bush during his administration. Their conversation touched on a range topics, including the President's thoughts on pluralism and free expression, his advice to students who might be afraid to speak up, key moments in his presidency like his 2001 inaugural address and 9/11 response, his father's legacy, and his upcoming book The Call of Freedom: Portraits of Political Prisoners and Dissidents.
• Remarks from:
  • Nadine Strossen, the first woman to serve as president of the ACLU, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and a Miller National Academy Advisory Board member.
  • Rye Barcott, author of Courage Can Save US, co-founder and CEO of With Honor, a cross-partisan organization that fights polarization by supporting principled veteran leadership in public office.
• A video message from former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a DU alumna and Miller National Academy Advisory Board member.

Quotes From Event Speakers and Academy Leaders
"I'm delighted to help launch The John and Sandy Miller National Academy for Free Expression and Pluralism at The University of Denver. I applaud the Millers, Mary Kate Cary, and the DU community for taking on this important work. By teaching students how to think, not what to think, you can empower future leaders and strengthen our society."

• President George W. Bush

"I'm concerned about how hard it's become for Americans – including on campuses – to speak openly and find common ground. We must teach young people to engage candidly and constructively across differences and solve problems together. DU's Miller National Academy gives me hope that we can strengthen those essential democratic habits."

• Nadine Strossen
  Former ACLU President; Senior Fellow, FIRE (the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression); Advisory Board member, The Miller National Academy

"I am delighted to see that The University of Denver has taken on this great national challenge of making us a country that is more hospitable to free expression and to pluralism, the foundations of democracy. The Miller National Academy is going to do just that. There is no more important part of democracy than to be able to talk about our differences, to be able to do so with respect, to be able to do so based on argumentation from data not just from emotion, and to do so across differences."

• Condoleezza Rice
  Director, The Hoover Institution; former U.S. Secretary of State; Advisory Board member, The Miller National Academy; University of Denver alumna

"At With Honor, we work with leaders who've learned the hard way that courage isn't the absence of disagreement. It's the willingness to engage it honestly. Free expression and pluralism depend on that kind of courage, and on people who practice it every day. The Miller National Academy is building a place to do that, and the country needs it. I'm pleased to stand with them at their opening on the eve of Veterans Day 2026." 

• Rye Barcott
  Marine Corps veteran; Co-founder and CEO, With Honor; author of Courage Can Save US

"College is a space where young people develop and learn how to collaborate and ask questions that help them become leaders. During my time at the University of Denver, I was able to shape my beliefs, question what I knew, and discover new ways of thinking. I believe the experience of learning from others is just as vital to student growth and skill development as academics."

• John Miller, BSBA '75, MBA '76
  University of Denver Board of Trustees Chair

"The Miller National Academy will serve to strengthen The University of Denver's efforts to teach our students the skills necessary to become the next generation of leaders. Combining our partnerships and standing as a major university with the knowledge of free expression that our advisory board and Mary Kate bring, we know that we can create legitimate impact that will deliver benefits across the country.

• Jeremy Haefner
  University of Denver Chancellor

"To achieve a pluralistic society, we must help people hone the skills they need to freely think, question, speak, create, dissent and persuade. At The Miller National Academy, we want to serve as a dedicated space where different perspectives are met with curiosity rather than division. Our goal is to create new ideas and build on the successful programs across the country expanding pluralism."

• Mary Kate Cary
  Founding Executive Director, The Miller National Academy

Event B-roll and Photography
A full press kit with B-roll and photography from the event are available here.

About The Miller National Academy
The John and Sandy Miller National Academy for Free Expression and Pluralism is a national laboratory based at The University of Denver that aims to advance free expression and pluralism by connecting people, ideas and institutions working to strengthen constructive engagement both in higher education and across society. Through research, collaboration and practical solutions, The Miller National Academy seeks to identify effective approaches, share lessons learned and help leaders across sectors put those insights into practice. For the latest updates, follow the team on LinkedIn.

About the University of Denver
Founded in 1864, the University of Denver is a private university that empowers students who want to make a difference. Recognized as one of the top research universities in the country, DU has more than 200 academic programs serving about 12,000 graduate and undergraduate students. DU students benefit from an experience that channels passion to serve the public good. Visit the University's Newsroom or follow the University on Facebook, LinkedIn and X.

SOURCE University of Denver