President's Speaker Series

Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Pence

Colorado Christian University welcomes you to an exclusive luncheon and lecture featuring the 48th Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, and his wife, former Second Lady of the United States Karen Pence. In partnership with The Centennial Institute and President Hogue, this event offers a unique opportunity to engage in conversation with Vice President Mike Pence, one of America’s most dedicated public servants, sharing his insights on leadership. The day also includes a lecture-style conversation regarding education in America with Mrs. Karen Pence and First Lady Hogue, partnering with CCU’s School of Education. Join us for an informative time of moderated lectures as Vice President Mike Pence and Karen Pence share these culturally relevant topics of leadership, faith, and their commitment to service.

Schedule

- Breakfast: 8:30 a.m.
- Morning Lecture: 10:30 a.m.
- Luncheon: 12:30 p.m.
- Evening Lecture: 6:00 p.m.

Sponsorship & Tickets

Sponsorship and ticket sales have closed. We thank our donors for their faithful generosity shown toward CCU.

Event Speakers

About Vice President Mike Pence

Michael R. Pence, 48th Vice President of the United States, was born in Columbus, Indiana on June 7, 1959, as one of six children born to Edward and Nancy Pence. As a young boy, he had a front-row seat to the American Dream. The family ran a successful convenience store business in their small Indiana town. Experiencing this nurtured the future Vice President’s belief in the importance of hard work, faith, and family.

Pence earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Hanover College in 1981. While there, he embraced his Christian faith which remains the driving force in his life. He later attended Indiana University School of Law and met the love of his life, Karen. After graduating, Pence practiced law, led the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, and began hosting The Mike Pence Show, a syndicated talk radio show and a weekly television public affairs program in Indiana.

Growing up in Indiana, surrounded by good, hardworking Hoosiers, Pence always knew that he needed to give back to the state and the country that had given him so much. In 2000, he launched a successful bid for his local congressional seat, entering the United States House of Representatives at the age of 41. The people of east-central Indiana elected Pence six times to represent them in Congress.

In 2013, Pence left the nation’s capital when Hoosiers elected him the 50th Governor of Indiana. He brought his limited government and low-tax philosophy to the Indiana Statehouse. As Governor, he enacted the largest income tax cut in Indiana history, lowering individual income tax rates, the business personal property tax, and the corporate income tax in order to strengthen the State’s competitive edge and attract new investment and good-paying jobs.

It was Indiana’s success story, Pence’s record of legislative and executive experience, and his strong family values that prompted his selection as the vice presidential nominee in July 2016. After being elected in November 2016, he entered office on January 20, 2017.

About Karen Pence

Karen Pence, wife of Vice President Mike Pence, is a mother, educator, and award-winning watercolor artist. Mrs. Pence works to bring attention to art therapy and to the sacrifices made by military service members and their families.

Mrs. Pence dedicated 30 years in the classroom as an elementary school teacher before becoming the First Lady of Indiana in 2013. In her role as First Lady of Indiana, Mrs. Pence created the Indiana First Lady’s Charitable Foundation, a 501 (c)3, established with the purpose to encourage and support youth and families of Indiana. The Foundation’s board awarded over $600,000 in grants to charities throughout Indiana in three years.

As Second Lady of the United States, Mrs. Pence was committed to raising awareness and educating the public about the mental health profession of art therapy in the United States and around the world. She observed art therapy programs in the Asia Pacific region, Australia, Europe, South America, Africa, Canada, and across the United States.

In October 2017, Mrs. Pence launched her art therapy initiative, Healing with the HeART. She wants to elevate the profession so that people understand that art therapy is a mental health profession, not arts and crafts. The former Second Lady also wants to help people understand that art therapy is an option for various conditions, illnesses, and life experiences; and to encourage young people to go into the profession.

Mrs. Pence also serves as an encourager to military service members, spouses, and their families. She has hosted and participated in numerous events to honor and recognize all of those in the Armed Forces. In September 2018, Mrs. Pence launched an awareness campaign to elevate and encourage our nation’s military spouses. As part of the campaign, Mrs. Pence educates military spouses about the available resources and opportunities to support spouses and their families. In August 2019, the American Legion Auxiliary awarded Mrs. Pence the Public Spirit Award for her contributions that positively impact communities through service to our military, veterans, and their families.