SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Feb. 25, 2026) – John Brown University will host former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft for its annual Ray and Laurine Barnett Civic Leadership Series to present "America250 and the Future of Liberty" on Tuesday, March 10, at 7 p.m. in Simmons Great Hall B.

Ashcroft served as Missouri governor from 1985 to 1993 and as a Missouri senator from 1995 to 2001, before becoming the 79th U.S. attorney general under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.

"John Ashcroft has served the American people at both the state and federal levels during defining periods in our nation’s history," said Daniel Bennett, Ph.D., professor of political science and director of the Center for Faith and Flourishing. "His visit reflects JBU's commitment to engaging with figures who have shaped American public life. We look forward to a thoughtful conversation about leadership, governance and the challenges facing the country today."

The Ray and Laurine Barnett Civic Leadership Series, established in 2016, is funded by an endowment created with gifts from the Barnett family and donations from more than 20 organizations and individuals. The series, which brings a speaker to JBU each academic year, focuses on Christian leadership and addresses the intersection of faith and public service.

Past speakers include Alveda C. King, niece of Martin Luther King Jr.; Mike Huckabee and Asa Hutchinson, former Arkansas governors; Chief Judge Lavenski Smith; Philip Todd, JBU alumnus and chief economist for the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security; Molly Rapert, associate professor of marketing at the University of Arkansas; Shapri LoMaglio, vice president for government and external relations at the CCCU.

The event is co-sponsored by the Center for Faith and Flourishing and JBU's student chapter of TPUSA. It is free and open to the public.

John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked regional university (U.S. News) and No. 2 private university (The Wall Street Journal), JBU enrolls more than 2,500 students from 34 states and 43 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers over 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including business, nursing, visual arts, engineering, teacher education, psychology, computer science, construction management, graphic design, family and human services, and engineering. Twelve graduate degrees are available in business, counseling and cybersecurity.

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