On November 19, 2025, the Andrea Mitchell Center co-sponsored an event with Penn Washington with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. Benson, along with Maegan Vasquez of the Washington Post, engaged in dialogue on protecting democracy and bringing passion to public service. The event was introduced by Andrea Mitchell Center Associate Director, Ibrahim Bakri.

“Events like this, bringing practitioners, journalists, scholars, and citizens into conversation, are at the heart of what the Mitchell Center strives to do. Our work is rooted in the belief that democracy is strengthened when institutions of higher education create spaces for serious, public-minded dialogue.

Penn Washington embodies that commitment here in D.C., extending the University of Pennsylvania’s mission beyond campus around questions that matter for the country.

Together, we are helping to advance Penn’s priority of ensuring that evidence-based discussion, civic engagement, and democratic resilience remain central to the life of our institution."

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