Students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered at the Tower Center for an early morning breakfast briefing with Speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus on Friday, Oct. 1.

Speaker Straus was introduced by Representative Dan Branch, a long-time friend and partner in the Texas legislature. 

As a former summer intern of Senator John Goodwin Tower, Straus expressed his enthusiasm to be speaking at the Tower Center for Political Studies. 

He reminisced on his childhood, spent in part with the Tower family. Senator Tower’s daughters, Jeanne Cox and Penny Cook, smiled from the audience. Cox and Cook founded the Tower Center after the tragic death of their father and sister. 

Today, the Tower Center continues to honor Senator Tower’s legacy by connecting leading public servants with students and SMU community at large, to honor the legacy of the late senator and promote the values by which he lived. 

Speaker Straus’ comments and responses to questions ranging from the upcoming elections to immigration and education reform exemplified the Tower Center’s mission and the performance of those that contribute to its success. 

In particular, he focused on the students, yet again evoking the memories of Senator Tower, who was a professor at Southwestern University and consistently advocated the importance of education.  

Senior Daniel Sanabria expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to meet Speaker Straus.  

“It is meaningful for future leaders interested in political life to be able to take part in personal conversations with those who have been involved in transforming the country for the past 20 years,” he said.

For senior Jordan Johansen, it solidified her wishes to get involved in politics.