University
SEARCY, Ark. (Dec. 20, 2023) — The Searcy Regional Chamber of Commerce and the
American Studies Institute lecture series at Harding University will welcome Adm. William
H. McRaven as a distinguished guest speaker at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 11. As an
accomplished retired four-star admiral for the U.S. Navy and former chancellor of the
University of Texas System, McRaven brings a wealth of leadership experience to the ASI
series.
Throughout his distinguished military career, McRaven commanded special operation
forces at every level, meriting his position over the U.S. Special Operations Command. He
was instrumental in many of the country’s most significant military operations, including
the capture of Sadam Hussein, the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips and overseeing the
Osama bin Laden mission in 2011. McRaven is also the author of several books including
“Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life” and “The Wisdom of the Bullfrog:
Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy).”
"Harding is proud to host such an accomplished national figure like Adm. McRaven," said
Mike Williams, president of Harding University. "His remarkable career and contributions
to national defense and foreign policy make him an invaluable voice for our ASI lecture
series. He will undoubtedly inspire and educate our university community."
As a respected authority on U.S foreign policy, McRaven has counseled a number of U.S.
presidents and national leaders including the Bush and Obama administrations. Currently,
McRaven shares his experience and skills as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
and the National Football Foundation and serves on the Board of Directors for
ConocoPhillips.
A graduate of The University of Texas at Austin in 1977, McRaven returned to his alma
mater as the chancellor of the UT Systems in 2015. His work as chancellor was
instrumental in leading all 14 of the University’s institutions, which consisted of 220,000
students and more than 20,000 faculty members.
McRaven achieved national acclaim through his New York Times bestselling book, "The
Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy),” which encapsulates the
leadership lessons gleaned from his four decades of service. Over his lifetime of
accomplishments, he has received several prestigious honors for his contributions to both
community and country, among them being named first runner-up for TIME magazine’s
“Person of the Year” and Politico magazine’s distinguished “Politico 50” list.
McRaven’s lecture will be held in the Benson Auditorium at Harding University, located at
201 S. Blakeney in Searcy, Ark., 72143. For more information about ASI or its upcoming
series guests, visit Harding.edu/ASI .
