The Lincoln Laureates

Bonnie Blair remains the most-decorated American woman to compete in the Winter Olympics. The lesson she teaches is life is a race against yourself. "Be better tomorrow" is a mantra she lives by, and spreads across the planet as a motivational speaker. In this episode, you'll hear how Bonnie's hometown of Champaign made her dreams possible. Plus, she shares how she survived all the advice she rece...

Carol Marin , grew up in a home where no less than 5 newspapers landed on the front porch every day. Independent debate was on the menu at every family meal, and set Carol on a path toward investigative journalism as a reporter on the CBS Evening News and the network’s legendary program 60 Minutes. In this episode, you'll learn what sparked Carol's passion for holding truth to power and the role t...

By age 16, Walter Massey was already in his first year at Morehouse College and ready to prove he could solve any mathematical equation he was given. During this episode, you'll hear how this passionate thinker from Mississippi, turned one car ride during the Jim Crow Era into global acclaim as a physicist. Born in Hattiesburg, Walter Massey planted deep roots in the Land of Lincoln, as a professo...

During this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, we’ll hear from the son of a sewing machine salesman, with a deep passion for sports. This boy from Brooklyn has made Illinois his home for more than six decades. Jerry Reinsdorf’s journey has taken him from tax attorney to real estate investor, to seven-time champion as the owner of the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Bulls. In this conversation, he...

From the age of seven, Samuel K. Skinner knew he wanted to be be a lawyer. He dreamed of guiding people through the legal system, like his hero Abraham Lincoln. During this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, we’ll hear the story of a leader who brought the “Illinois Way” to our nation’s capital. In Washington D.C., Sam Skinner was often called the “Boy Scout” for his sense of ethics and integrity....

During this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, you’ll get a deeper understanding of a scientist with an unlikely destination. As a grade schooler, Tom Skilling was already studying the “upper air charts” published in the nation’s capital. At 14, he began his career as a weather forecaster on his hometown radio station in Aurora, Illinois. Mr. Skilling joined Chicago’s WGN-TV in 1978 as a meteorolog...

Equity and inclusion are largely terms of the 2010s, but Jackie Joyner-Kersee was fueling that thinking long before the turn of the century. As a basketball and track & field superstar growing up in East St. Louis, she beat multiple odds -- including asthma. During this episode of the Lincoln Laureates you'll learn how Jackie Joyner-Kersee rose from cinder tracks to Olympic gold, and why the hepta...

Newton Minow once told President John F. Kennedy that putting satellites in space was more important than putting a man there. During this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, you'll learn why. You'll also meet an Illinoisan deeply rooted in his convictions. As commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission, Newton placed high ideals on television broadcasters. His vision led generations of ki...

During this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, we’ll learn how a humble civics teacher from Peoria became one of the most admired members of the U.S. Congress.

 Ray LaHood represented Illinois’ 18th district in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years. Inspired by his admiration for our 16th president, LaHood passionately spread his bi-partisan ideals as a driving force in legislation. Our g...

Major General John Borling did something unimaginable. He crafted poetry out of the seemingly endless years as a POW at the infamous Hanoi Hilton. From Borling's first airborne experience in a jet, he knew he "had to be a fighter pilot." In this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, you'll hear how 'taps on the wall' were the key to surviving Borling's imprisonment. Plus, why he feels deeply connected...

Orion Samuelson's birthright was a 200-acre dairy farm, but a leg disease became his wake-up call in 8th grade. When he could not 'be' a farmer, he set his sights on being a 'vocal' advocate for every farmer he ever met. In the process, Orion bent the ear of more than a dozen U.S. Presidents, and toured farms in more than 40 nations. In this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, you'll learn exactly h...

Frank Clark's story is not a fabrication for film. It is a reality saga that took him from the mailroom to the corner office. In this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, you'll hear what drove Frank Clark to become the first African-American CEO of the Fortune 100 energy company, ComEd. As a native of Chicago's Woodlawn and West Chatham neighborhoods, Mr. Clark lived the realities of racial division...

Doug Collins' life has revolved around a sphere filled with eight pounds of air. His working class roots in Benton, Illinois have taken his passion for basketball to the rarest of global stages -- from the Olympics Games to the NBA Finals. In this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, Doug Collins shares what fueled his bond with NBA superstar Michael Jordan and why trust gives birth to truth. You'll...

Ryne Sandberg changed an unwritten baseball rule: "Second basemen don't hit home runs." In this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, we'll learn who and what changed him into a power hitter who still excelled at the short game. We also discover what inspired this sand lot player from Spokane to make Illinois his forever home. Our guest host for this conversation with the Lincoln Laureates is award-wi...

"Mind shaping is world shaping." Inspiring words from a globally renowned educator. Dr. Stephanie Pace Marshall is the founding president of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. In this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, we learn how 'listening' to students inspired Dr. Marshall to re-imagine the way we teach. Our guest host for this conversation is award-winning broadcast journalist Chris...

During this episode of the Lincoln Laureates, we’ll hear inspiring humility from a true American hero. Only 24 humans have travelled to the Moon. James C. Lovell was the first to go there TWICE. Lovell’s cool demeanor and brilliant crisis leadership skills brought the Apollo 13 crew safely back to Earth in 1970. These observations are packed with lessons for navigating the impossible. Our guest ho...

For Sheila C. Johnson, leading is orchestral. As she describes, great leaders are like violin players. You must listen and perform both alternately and simultaneously. In this episode, you'll learn the secret behind Sheila's creation of Black Entertainment Television. Plus, she shares how the stories of Abraham Lincoln have fueled her path to success as CEO of Salamander resorts. Our guest host fo...

Bill Kurtis might have been an attorney arguing for victim's rights. But a deadly Kansas twister taught him that a great journalist can reduce the number of victims. In this episode, we hear the powerful journey that inspired his investigative passion. From covering infamous trials to finding the facts behind a whistleblower's story. Bill Kurtis discovered that a story crafted with detail can impa...

Emily Bear is drawn to every aspect of music. AND, every genre of music. This is a conversation that goes beyond her unimaginable talent to reveal her powerful curiosity and compassion. Emily is a renowned composer(published first at age 4). Quincy Jones has been Emily's mentor since she was 11. In this conversation, you'll be swept away by Emily's ability to make this all seem like every day life...

In our inaugural episode, George Will explains what it means to be marinated in the ideologies of Lincoln through Illinois roots. He plots the path that led him to journalism, and like most days espouses the virtues of baseball. Our guest host for this episode is award winning broadcast journalist Bill Plante.

Eavesdrop on conversations with some of the most revered voices of our time. These are the Lincoln Laureates, individuals bestowed with the Order of Lincoln Medallion for their leadership and service to humankind. Season 1 includes conversations with George Will, Emily Bear, Bill Kurtis, Captain James Lovell, Sheila C. Johnson, Ryne Sandberg, and more.