Campus & Community

Former agriculture secretary to direct IOP

3 min read

Daniel R. Glickman, who has spent more than 25 years in public service on both the federal and local levels, has been named director of the Institute of Politics (IOP) at the Kennedy School of Government by Dean Joseph S. Nye Jr. Glickman will succeed Sen. David Pryor, who will be leaving the director’s post in June after two years at the Kennedy School.

“Dan Glickman has served his country well and brings a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience to the Kennedy School of Government,” said Nye. “His work, both in Congress and as a Cabinet member, attests to his political acumen and gives him a solid foundation from which to lead the IOP.”

Glickman said he was elated to serve.

“It is an opportunity and an honor to be chosen director of the Institute of Politics,” he said. “It gives me a chance to combine my experience in public life with my love of academia. It will allow me to pursue my desire to build an interest in politics among today’s youth.”

President Lawrence H. Summers praised the selection. “Dan Glickman has an enormous range of practical experience in politics and policy at the highest levels,” Summers said. “He has consistently been able to work with people across the political spectrum to shape solutions to a variety of challenges facing America. He will be a great addition to the Harvard community, a great mentor to our students, and a great leader for the IOP.”

Glickman served 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, first winning election in Kansas’ 4th Congressional District in 1976. During his time in office, Glickman served as a member of the House Agriculture Committee, where he worked on federal farm policy issues, and the House Judiciary Committee, where he focused on technology issues. Glickman also served as chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

In March 1995, President Clinton named Glickman secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Under Glickman’s watch, the Agriculture Department updated its food safety regulations, negotiated a number of international trade agreements to expand U.S. markets, and improved its civil rights record. As secretary, Glickman also worked to battle hunger, to increase the nation’s agricultural productivity, and to preserve the nation’s natural resources.

After leaving the Cabinet in January 2001, Glickman joined as partner in the public law and policy practice group of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. in Washington, D.C., where he advises clients on matters ranging from food and agriculture to biotechnology and international trade.

Glickman currently serves on the board of directors of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange; the Communities in Schools; the D.C. Central Kitchen; America’s Second Harvest; the Food Research and Action Center; the RFK Memorial Foundation; and The Farm Foundation. He is also chair of the George Washington University Global Advisory Board, chair of the Global Nutrition Institute, and co-chair of the U.S. Consensus Council.

As director, Glickman will oversee all of the IOP’s activities, including its resident Fellows Program for individuals active in public life; student study groups and internships; special conferences and seminars for elected officials; and lectures, debates, and symposia. The IOP also manages the ARCO Forum, the Kennedy School’s principal stage for public affairs, events, and debates.