Periodically, the American presidency has reached crucial intersections in history when the institution faces inflection points that may transform the office forever. These include the Founding when our first president had to shape the executive branch from its inception, the democratizing age of Jackson, Lincoln's assumption of power during the Civil War, and FDR's expansion of executive prerogatives to address the Great Depression and World War II. This course will place the contemporary presidency in historical context, through the Miller Center's Presidential Ideas Festival, May 21-23, which will be a bipartisan gathering of former White House officials, elected leaders, presidential scholars, business leaders, and journalists.

OLLI participants in this course will be guaranteed seating for all public events at the festival and will meet for an afternoon seminar at the Miller Center to discuss topics addressed at the Festival. You will be contacted with additional information about how to register for festival events.