Haspel’s remarks were part of her visit to the university as a . She is the second CIA Director to appear as a guest of the Center, following , who came to campus in 2012.

“It’s a rare pleasure to be back home in Kentucky and back on this campus,” said Haspel, a 1978 UofL graduate and the first woman to head the CIA. About 400 people heard Haspel speak and for the Agency.

One of those priorities is to foster strong partnerships between the CIA and other government agencies, as well as with foreign allies.

“Teamwork is the only effective way of dealing with the range of complex threats we face across the globe,” she said. “The CIA is working more closely than ever with our allies across the world.”

She also spoke about the seriousness of the opioid crisis and said the CIA plans to make a bigger investment in counter narcotics efforts.

“No foreign challenge has had a more direct and devastating impact on American families and communities, including right here in Kentucky, than the flow of opioids and other drugs into our country,” Haspel said. “This terrible threat has killed far more Americans than any terrorist group.”

Haspel shared the stage with U.S. Senate Majority Leader , UofL President and McConnell Center Director .  

She was interviewed by a UofL graduate, longtime public affairs expert, political commentator and co-founder/partner of Louisville-based RunSwitch Public Relations.

In her Q&A with Jennings, Haspel talked about careers in the CIA.

“We are looking for people who are dedicated to serving their country,” Haspel said.

“It’s not only the things you see in movies,” Haspel said. “We also have lots of other occupations that you find at any large organization. We have accountants, we have lawyers, we have scientists, engineers, data scientists and cyber experts.

“CIA can offer a rewarding career in a lot of different fields. Prepare yourself with a good education and raise your hand for the difficult jobs,” she said.

A video of her talk

He discussed bipartisan leadership, federal budgets, student debt, immigration reform and jobs during his visit as part of the McConnell Center’s Distinguished Speaker Series.

Schumer, D-NY, said he supports programs that take aim against high levels of student debt and would like to see lower interest rates for student loans. He also said he believes in strong support of colleges and universities, especially as the nation continues to move toward an “ideas” economy.

“A focus on higher education is needed more than ever before,” Schumer said. “It is our future.”

Schumer also delivered a surprise to UofL sophomore Jasper Noble when he announced that Noble was selected to be an intern in the Democratic leader’s office over the summer. Noble is a majoring in political science, history and philosophy.

Introduced to an audience of nearly 400 by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Schumer stressed that the two party leaders “can and do work together” to tackle important issues. He cited the Feb. 7 two-year bipartisan budget as a good example of how he and McConnell have recently worked together.

“We try our best to understand each other; to be honest and respectful,” Schumer said.

In his introduction of Schumer, McConnell shared similar thoughts about bipartisan problem solving. “Washington may look like a pretty divided place but, actually, the Senate is a pretty collegial place,” McConnell said.

This is the second time the McConnell Center has had both Senate leaders on the stage, said Gary Gregg, who directs the Center. The last time was in 2007 when former Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., was a McConnell Center guest.

The Center has hosted many political leaders since 1993. Past speakers include U.S. President George W. Bush; U.S. Secretarys of State Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell; Senators Ted Kennedy, John McCain, Marco Rubio and many others.

In addition to giving a public talk, guests who come to UofL as part of the center’s Distinguished Speaker Series meet privately with UofL students who are part of the McConnell Scholars program.

Check out video from Schumer’s talk below: