Welcome to the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies at Grand Valley State University

What do we do?

As a PRESIDENTIAL STUDIES center, Hauenstein Center programming routinely welcomes authors, historians, and presidential scholars to our stage to share their research and works. Programs include discussions on presidential history, our democracy, and celebrations of national holidays like Constitution Day, Veterans Day, and Presidents’ Day.

Since 2004, the PETER C. COOK LEADERSHIP ACADEMY has instilled leadership excellence in a select group of undergraduate and graduate students across the institution. The program is co-curricular and cross-disciplinary, offering our student fellow candidates unique opportunities for reflection, engagement, and learning with and from a diverse cohort of their peers throughout the academic year. Candidates are admitted to the Cook Leadership Academy for one or more years. Each applicant must meet the criteria of high academic achievement, active involvement in the campus community, dedication to the public good, a passion to lead, and a commitment to personal growth.

The COMMON GROUND INITIATIVE is West Michigan’s premier forum for the promotion of civic engagement and intellectual curiosity on the issues facing our region, nation, and world. The Common Ground Event Series invites leaders and scholars to engage in dialogue across political and ideological divides and model the common ground approach for our community.