Elon University announces Bold Leadership Speaker Series lineup for 2026-27

Elon University is leaning into national names again next year, and the Bold Leadership Speaker Series will bring some of the country’s best-known commentators, faith figures and advocates to campus in 2026-27. For Alamance County readers, the draw is not just star power. It is the chance to hear David Brooks, Tim Tebow and Heather Cox Richardson in a room where leadership, civic responsibility and public debate will land close to home.

The six-program series is scheduled for Sept. 25, 2026, Sept. 29, 2026, Nov. 11, 2026, Jan. 13, 2027, March 9, 2027 and April 6, 2027. Elon said all programs will be free to students, faculty and staff with ID, while public admission for Fall Convocation will be $15. Public tickets for that event will go on sale in August, and venues will be announced closer to each date.

Brooks is the biggest name in the lineup for many readers. Elon described him as a bestselling author, staff writer for The Atlantic and longtime New York Times columnist, with commentary on PBS NewsHour and books including How to Know a Person, The Second Mountain, The Road to Character and The Social Animal. Brooks recently accepted a five-year appointment as a Presidential Senior Fellow at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs beginning Feb. 1, 2026, a sign that his focus on character, public life and institutions will remain central.

Heather Cox Richardson brings a different kind of reach. Elon identified her as a historian and bestselling author, while Boston College lists her as a professor of history. Her nightly newsletter, Letters from an American, reaches more than 5 million readers, giving her one of the broadest civic audiences in the country. For a county where political identity, education and trust in institutions remain live issues, her appearance is likely to resonate well beyond campus.

The rest of the lineup keeps the series broad. Hanif Abdurraqib will deliver the Common Reading Lecture, bringing his work on music, identity and culture to students and community members. Kyle Carpenter, a Medal of Honor recipient whose military records identify him as U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal William Kyle Carpenter, is expected to bring a conversation about service and sacrifice. Danielle Coke Balfour, who describes herself as an artist, activist, speaker and entrepreneur behind Oh Happy Dani, will likely push questions of justice and hope. Tim Tebow, a Heisman Trophy winner, former NFL quarterback and philanthropist, adds a high-profile voice at the intersection of sports, faith and public influence.

Elon said the 2026-27 series continues its recent pattern of theme-based programming, following The Power of Purpose in 2025-26 and Creating Together in 2023-24. The university also said its Fall 2026 Cultural Calendar will include additional speakers and events, keeping the campus a regular stop for local residents looking for major public conversations without leaving Alamance County.