About The Mansfield Center

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“Democracy – as we know it, understand it, and love it – is today facing a challenge to its continuance.”

Senator Mike Mansfield

Founded by an Act of Congress in 1983, the Mansfield Center fosters globally minded leaders of integrity in honor of the legacy of Senator Mike Mansfield and his wife, Maureen Hayes Mansfield. We honor their legacy of patriotic statesmanship to bridge divides from a variety of perspectives, unified by our love of country and commitment to democracy.

The Mansfield Way

mansfield-on-steps.jpgRising from a hardscrabble childhood, service in three branches of the military, and the depths of Butte’s copper mines, Mansfield’s life was changed when he was encouraged by his wife Maureen to earn an education and become a professor at the University of Montana. In further service to the nation, he became Majority Leader in the U.S. Senate and later our nation’s Ambassador to Japan under presidents of both political parties. As the Senate’s longest-serving Majority Leader, Mansfield offered an example of statesmanship and ethical leadership in tumultuous times.

If our democracy and way of life are to survive, it is imperative that we build upon Senator Mike Mansfield’s legacy of statesmanship, ethical leadership, and bipartisanship to address the challenges facing our world today.

Who We Are

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Grounded in rural Montana, the Mansfield Center fosters globally minded leaders of integrity. We honor Senator Mansfield’s legacy of patriotic statesmanship to bridge divides from a variety of perspectives, unified by our love of country and commitment to democracy. Guided by Senator Mansfield’s example, our work emphasizes civil exchanges of ideas from a diverse range of viewpoints, the importance of democratic institutions, the integration of international relations, and the role that ethical values play in public life. Our staff is advised by a bipartisan Board of Advisors and supported by citizens nationwide representing government, business, non-profit, education, service and youth sectors.

Our Unique Capacity to Address Our National Challenges

The Mansfield Center is uniquely positioned by physical location and longstanding relationships to address the rural-urban divide that is at the center of our political and cultural challenges. We are based in the heart of rural America and have established relationships that cross parties and cultures including the lands of Indian Country. These are our communities. Our work begins from Mike Mansfield’s belief that “constitutional authority and responsibility…lies with all of us individually, collectively, and equally.”

Join Us in Bolstering Democracy

Join us to reclaim our democratic norms and institutions. Contact Executive Director Deena Mansour at deena.mansour@umontana.edu to work toward our shared future by joining and supporting our programs.