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Gov. Bob McDonnell will speak in Danville next Monday, Aug. 30, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

McDonnell will talk and respond to questions from Virginians about his administration's plans for the future at a town hall meeting as part of the annual Southside Public Leadership Series sponsored by the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and the Danville Register & Bee.

The 7 p.m. talk, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a Sorensen reception at 8:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend both the town hall meeting and the reception and to participate in the question-and-answer period. The media is welcome and cordially invited to attend.

McDonnell will present a PowerPoint discussion of his plans for government reform and ABC privatization at the next to last "Virginia Speaks: A Conversation about Jobs, Government Reform and Our Future" town hall meeting.

His presentation precedes the question and answer portion of the meeting. McDonnell was sworn in as the 71st Governor of Virginia on January 16, 2010.   As the state’s chief executive, he has expressed a commitment to implement policies and initiatives to create more jobs and opportunities for all Virginians, promote economic development, and lead to greater innovation in state government.

McDonnell's event is the second of three Sorensen-sponsored programs at Danville's Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in a two-month period. The first featured Todd Haymore, Virginia's Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, who spoke to a crowd of more than 70 people at the Institute on Aug. 24. Haymore, a native of Pittsylvania County, spoke about leadership, public service  and current issues in agriculture and forestry.

The third event will be an issues forum featuring Fifth District Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Ivy, and Republican nominee Robert Hurt, who will face off in a one-on-one televised debate Oct. 21 at the Institute in Danville moderated by Sorensen and co-sponsored by the Danville Register & Bee and WSET-TV and WVIR-TV, which will broadcast the debate live from 7-8 p.m.

 McDonnell's town hall meeting at  7 p.m. on Aug. 30 is free and open to the press and public. For more information, please call Bob Gibson at 434.982.4998.

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*Update: For coverage of this event please go to GoDanRiver.com.

On October 7, 2010, the Engaging the Mind Program in partnership with the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce presents a half-day workshop, “The Power of Ideas: Creativity for the Danville Region.”  Instructor, Rachel Brozenske, adjunct faculty at the University of Virginia and Vice President of Allison Partners, a company founded with the belief that people are at the core of an organization’s success will lead this hands-on workshop.  Uniquely designed to assist attendees in problem solving and learning practical tools to help generate new ideas to build the economy, strengthen our organizations, and improve our lives.  This workshop is made possible by the Engaging the Mind Program in the University of Virginia’s Office of Engagement with funding from the E. Stuart Grant Trust.  For more information about this workshop: www.virginia.edu/engagingthemind.

Todd Haymore, Virginia's Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, will speak in Danville next Tuesday, Aug. 24, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

Haymore, a native of Pittsylvania County, will talk on leadership and current issues in agriculture and forestry as part of the annual Southside Public Leadership Series sponsored by the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and the Danville Register & Bee.

The 7 p.m. talk, which is free and open to the public, will be followed by a Sorensen reception from 8 to 8:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend both the talk and the reception and to participate in the question-and-answer period. The media is welcome and cordially invited to attend.

Todd Haymore became Virginia’s second Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry in January 2010, succeeding Robert S. Bloxom. In addition to serving in Governor Bob McDonnell’s Cabinet and his duties as the chief marketing and development officer of the state’s two largest industries, Haymore is responsible for two of the state’s most well known agencies, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) and the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF). He is also responsible for the Virginia Agricultural Council.

Prior to his appointment as Secretary, Haymore served as Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from August 2007 to January 2010. The Department is responsible for over 60 laws and more than 70 regulations relating to consumer protection and the promotion of agriculture. The Virginia Department of Forestry protects almost 16 million acres of forest land from fire, insects and disease and manages 19 state forests and other state lands totaling approximately 58,000 acres for timber, recreation, water, research, wildlife and biodiversity. The agency’s mission is to protect and develop healthy, sustainable forest resources for Virginians.

Haymore was born and raised on his maternal grand-parent’s Pittsylvania County farm. He began his professional career as a legislative intern in Richmond to former Virginia State Senator Onico Barker (R-19th). From there, Haymore moved to Washington, D.C. to serve as a legislative assistant for former United States Rep. L.F Payne (D-5th). Haymore also served as the congressman’s communications director, as well as deputy campaign manager of Payne’s lieutenant gubernatorial bid. Following his work in Congress, Haymore worked in Danville for DIMON Incorporated, a leaf tobacco company that later merged with Standard Commercial Corporation to form Alliance One International. Haymore then joined Richmond-based Universal Leaf Tobacco Company. He served in various leadership positions from 1999-2007, concluding his time with the company as Corporate Director, External Affairs and Vice President of The Universal Leaf Foundation.

He graduated from George Washington High School in Danville, received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from the University of Richmond and his Masters of Business Administration Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He is married to the former Margaret Cary Lewis and they have three children, Catharine Cole Haymore and Elizabeth Whichard Haymore (twins), and Lillian Bryan Haymore.

This year, the Sorensen Institute is proud to claim several congressional candidates as our Alumni. These Sorensen grads are running in United States Congressional races all across Virginia and are striving to implement the lessons they learned at Sorensen into their campaigns. These candidates give hope to the Sorensen idea that politics can be about the heated clash of ideas, but that our differences do not have to divide us. Below you'll find a link to each of the candidates websites.

Democrats

Krystal Ball (VA-01)

Rick Waugh (VA-07)

Republicans

Scott Rigell (VA-02)

Chuck Smith (VA-03)

Robert Hurt (VA-05)

Patrick Murray (VA-08)

Independents

Kenny Golden (VA-02)

The Sorensen Institute is happy (and excited!) to announce that our 2nd Annual Sorensen Family Reunion will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2010. We will gather on the Airstrip at Bundoran Farm from 11am until 4pm. Make sure you mark your calendars and get ready for food, fun, good music and good friends. More details will be posted as we approach the date.

The Sorensen Institute has been actively trying to establish new ways for our alumni, staff and potential program participants to stay in contact with one another. One of the easiest ways to stay updated on the exciting things going on here at the Sorensen Institute is to follow our Twitter account. You can find our account at SIPLUVA. Follow us, recommend us, and stay up to date on the exciting events that Sorensen will be hosting in the near future.

Two graduates of the High School Leaders Program Class of 2010 have published op-eds about their Sorensen experience in two Virginia newspapers.

Holly Johnston is the author of "Seeing Real Solutions to Nation's Real Problems" that was published this past Sunday in the Danville Register & Bee. Holly writes in part, "As I reflect back on my time at Sorensen, I think about all of the amazing people that I have met, and all the amazing things that I learned. Most of all though, I think about the responsibility that has now been given to me to make sure that there is open dialogue not based on party lines, but real solutions to real problems."

Click here to read Holly's essay.

Maggie Chambers published her essay "What I Learned at Government Boot Camp This Summer" on Sunday in the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Maggie begins by writing, "When I tried to explain to my friends what exactly I was doing this summer, they dismissed it as me being a nerd again -- after all, what kind of person would choose to spend two weeks at what was known as 'government boot camp'? Well, me. And believe me, the Sorensen Institute High School Leaders Program was so much more than that."

Click here to read Maggie's essay.

Director of Programs at the Sorensen Institute, April Auger, delivered the closing remarks at the High School Leaders 2010 graduation ceremony.