Former first lady Laura Bush was welcomed to Harding University in Searcy on April 16 with a private reception and dinner. She was at the university as part of the school's American Studies Institute Lecture Series.
Before the lecture, which was open to the public, Bush posed for photos at the reception in Heritage Hall with guests including school alumni, sponsors, school officials and local dignitaries. Afterwards, guests enjoyed dinner in the Hall's Founder Room. On the menu was a spring mix salad with fresh berries, beef tenderloin with whole grain mustard cream sauce and grilled chicken breast with caprese relish, jasmine rice pilaf and green beans. For dessert, guests were served Laura Bush's Citrus Pie, using the first lady's recipe.
While Bush didn't speak at the dinner, she replied from her seat to Chancellor Bruce McLarty's welcome: "Thank you so much, I'm so happy to be here." She also joked she was the last in line of Bush family members to speak at the university. Her husband, former President George W. Bush, and her in-laws former President George H.W. Bush and the late former first lady Barbara Bush had all previously been speakers in the lecture series.
High Profile on 04/29/2018