ROCHESTER, NY —- The University of Rochester and the Texas A&M University Center for Presidential Studies will begin a unique relationship in the 1999-2000 academic year, it was announced today.
Rochester, which will celebrate its 150th anniversary next year, is one of America's leading research universities. Texas A&M's renowned center is part of its George Bush School of Government and Public Service and the Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.
Under their arrangement, both schools will exchange speakers, hold joint conference series, working papers, and symposia, and make research accessible to each other's students and faculty—-including Rochester's extensive papers of former New York Governor and Presidential nominee Thomas E. Dewey.
"Texas A&M is justly proud of its Center for Presidential Studies," said Curt Smith, senior lecturer in English at the University of Rochester. "We are delighted to begin this exchange program."
"The University of Rochester is noted nationally for excellence," added Martin J. Medhurst, professor of speech communication and coordinator of A&M's Program of Presidential Rhetoric. "This relationship is especially apt given Curt Smith's service with President George Bush."
From 1989-93, Smith wrote more speeches than anyone for President Bush. He is now an award-winning radio commentator (Rochester NPR affiliate WXXI), WYSL Radio (CNN-Rochester) talk show host, and ESPN-TV documentarian. Smith is also the author of eight books, including Windows on the White House, Voices of the Game, and his new release, Our House.
Medhurst is the author or editor of seven books, including Beyond the Rhetorical Presidency, Cold War Rhetoric, and Eisenhower's War of Words: Rhetoric and Leadership. Medhurst also serves as editor of the scholarly journal Rhetoric and Public Affairs and oversees A&M's Program in Presidential Rhetoric that has featured such speakers as President Bush and former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.