Overheard at the Bush Center

In this special Engage at the Bush Center event presented by NexPoint, Dori Thornton Waller, former White House Deputy Social Secretary, Sara Armstrong, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Mrs. Laura Bush, and Susan Whitson, former Press Secretary to Mrs. Laura Bush, shared memorable stories and cheerful moments from their holidays in the People’s House.

Keith Hennessey, the Bush Institute’s David Rubenstein Fellow, Kristen Silverberg, Business Roundtable President and COO, and Marc Sumerlin, former Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, joined Director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative Cullum Clark for a thought-provoking and timely conversation on the condition of the U.S. economy, the role of the Federal Reserve, the relationship between the U.S. government and private businesses, the impact of tariffs, the state of international trade, technology’s impact on the economy, and more.Related: Watch the NexPoint Lecture: America's Economic RealignmentRead the "America the Exceptional" series

As part of our Engage at the Bush Center series presented by NexPoint, legendary sportscasters Bob Costas and Joe Buck came to the Bush Center and shared unforgettable stories, reliving the most transformational and unifying moments in sports history.Related: Watch the Engage at the Bush Center program presented by NexPoint hereView special exhibit Game Changer: United by Sports, presented by Garry Weber

The Seventh Annual Laura Bush Book Club proudly featured Amor Towles. One of Mrs. Bush’s favorite authors, Towles’ novels Rules of Civility, A Gentleman in Moscow, and The Lincoln Highway, and his collection of shorter fiction Table for Two have all been New York Times bestsellers.

The Bush Center held its eighth annual Forum on Leadership, a landmark event that develops, recognizes, and celebrates leadership by bringing together notable voices for in-depth discussions on today’s pressing issues.Freedom of the press is foundational to our nation. Martin Baron, Former Executive Director of The Washington Post, and Jessica Yellin, Founder of News Not Noise; joined in discussion with the Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, the Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow at the Bush Institute, to dive into the challenges facing media in America and its role for a thriving democracy.  Related: 2025 Forum on Leadership Restoring Trust in the Media Panel Discussion