Southwestern College has invited Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow Major General Michael Lehnert for an intensive week-long visit where he will conduct classes, seminars, and lectures.  The public is invited to attend a public lecture on Thursday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m., in Mossman Hall room 101. There is no admission charge.  The title of the lecture is “Coalition Building and Environmental Policy.”

Lehnert will also lecture on terrorism, Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita. Following the lecture there will be a question and answer session. The lecture is free and open to the public but reservations are encouraged as seating will be limited.  To make reservations, go to https://bit.ly/rsvpMajorGeneral or call (316) 684-5335 ext. 120.  

Major General Mike Lehnert was commissioned in 1973 as a combat engineer and participated in combat operations in Panama, Kuwait, and Iraq. In 2003 he led 5,000 Marines and sailors during the initial invasion of Iraq in support of the 70,000 Marines who formed the I Marine Expeditionary Force. During his 37 years of active duty, he held 13 separate commands from platoon commander to joint task force commander. He was the chief of staff joint task force Panama charged with overseeing the turnover of the Panama Canal, joint task group commander in Guantanamo Bay Cuba during the Cuban migrant crisis, and commander joint task force 160 to build and run detention facilities for Al Qaida and Taliban terrorists. He commanded the marine logistics group during Operation Iraqi Freedom. His last assignment on active duty was regional commander for the seven Marine bases west of the Mississippi. 

He was the subject of Karen Greenberg's book, “The Least Worst Place,” used in many military and law schools as a study in ethical decision making. In 2010, the National Conflict Resolution Center honored him as their 2010 National Peacekeeper Award recipient. 

Lehnert serves as vice chairman of the board for the Student Veterans of America (SVA). SVA is a national veterans’ organization including over 800 active chapters throughout all 50 states and in three countries. It was formed in 2008 to ensure that student veterans achieve their educational goals in universities and achieve their academic potential. 

He has been recognized by numerous environmental groups including the Sierra Club for his work recovering endangered species while still on active duty. Today he serves on the 11-person board of the Endangered Species Coalition. The Endangered Species Coalition is a national network of over 440 conservation, scientific, education, religious, sporting, outdoor recreation, and business and community organizations working to protect our nation’s disappearing wildlife and last remaining wild places.

After serving for two years as a senior adviser to the Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, General Lehnert was invited to serve as a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow where he lectures on leadership and ethical decision making.

The Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow program, which is administered by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) in Washington D. C., brings prominent artists, diplomats, journalists, business leaders, and other professionals to campuses across the United States for a week-long residential program of classes, seminars, workshops, lectures, and informal discussions.  For over 35 years, Visiting Fellows have been introducing students and faculty members at liberal arts colleges to a wide range of perspectives on life, society, community, and achievement.

The Visiting Fellows program is available to all four-year colleges and universities.  For more information, visit the CIC’s website at www.cic.edu/visitingfellows.