Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito '88 will visit campus on Feb. 11 to give a talk on civil discourse, as part of Boston College's Civic Engagement Initiative.
Mass. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito '88
Polito, a graduate of the Carroll School of Management, will present “Civil Discourse in Politics Today” at 5 p.m. in the Walsh Hall Function Room. Following her talk will be a 30-minute response-and-discussion session with four BC student leaders.
The event is free and open to the public.
First elected as lieutenant governor in 2014 as the running mate of Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Polito won re-election last fall. She chairs the Community Compact Cabinet, which seeks to strengthen the administration’s partnerships with local government and promote best practices. Since the program’s inception, Polito has signed a compact with all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts covering a total of 835 best practices. As chair of the Seaport Economic Council, she works with coastal communities to leverage their unique assets to drive sustainable growth.
In addition, Polito has played a leadership role in efforts to address sexual assault and domestic violence issues and, as co-chair of the STEM Advisory Council, ensure that all students have access to STEM courses with the goal of preparing them for careers.
A program of the Student Affairs division, the CEI aims to help students think about how they can make a difference in the civic life of their communities—both political and non-political—or on a larger scale. Administrators, faculty, staff, and students assist in planning and organizing CEI events and activities, often in collaboration with other University offices and departments.
“Given the current political climate of staunch partisan politics,” said Women’s Center Director Katie Dalton Walsh, “the committee felt that it was important to plan an event to engage attendees in a discussion about the importance of constructive dialogue with others from across the political spectrum.”
—University Communications