March 16, 2018

Distinguished Lecture Series to feature Lt. Gov. Parson April 4

Lt. Gov. Mike Parson

Northwest Missouri State University will welcome Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Parson as a guest of its Distinguished Lecture Series at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 4, in the Charles Johnson Theater at the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building.

The lecture is free and open to the public.

“We are thankful for Lt. Gov. Parson giving of his time during the 2018 legislative session,” Northwest President Dr. John Jasinski said. “We appreciate his ongoing support of higher education and look forward to his talk, which will help continue enhancing the academic environment at Northwest.”

Parson was elected Missouri’s 47th lieutenant governor in 2016, receiving the most votes of any lieutenant governor in state history. Previously, he served the 28th Senatorial District in the Missouri Senate from 2011 to 2017. He served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2005 to 2011. He also served as Polk County sheriff from 1993 to 2005, and he served six years in the U.S. Army.

As a member of the Missouri Senate, Parson chaired the Small Business, Insurance and Industry Committee and served as Majority Whip during his first two years.

While serving in the House of Representatives, he was chair of the House Rules Committee and sponsored or co-sponsored several landmark pieces of legislation, including Missouri’s Castle Doctrine, which strengthened Second Amendment rights, and the Missouri Farming Rights Amendment, a piece of legislation that changed the Missouri Constitution to guarantee all Missourians the right to farm and ranch.

Parson resides in Bolivar with his wife, Teresa. They have two grown children and five grandchildren. He was raised on a farm in Hickory County and graduated from Wheatland High School in Wheatland, Missouri. He is a small business owner and is a third generation farmer who owns and operates a cow and calf operation near Bolivar.

The objective of the Distinguished Lecture Series is to enhance the academic environment through its exploration of interdisciplinary topics. Supported by the Office of the Provost and the Student Activities Council, the series presents the Northwest campus and surrounding communities with opportunities to hear from extraordinary individuals from around the globe. Scholars, world travelers and leaders in their fields visit the Northwest campus to share their wisdom, insight and experiences.