Former President George W. Bush spoke to the U.S. Elections class over Zoom from approximately 12:55 p.m. to 1:15 CST today.

Bush answered questions from Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Chair in American Presidency Jon Meacham. Topics that were discussed are considered off the record.

George W. Bush followed in his father, George H.W. Bush’s footsteps as a president. A member of the Republican Party, George W. Bush served as the 43rd President from 2001 until 2009. He won his election against Vanderbilt alum Al Gore in the 2000 election and then beat John Kerry to secure his second term.

Before his time as president, Bush served as the governor of Texas from 1994 until 1999. He completed his undergraduate degree from Yale in 1968; later, he earned his MBA from Harvard in 1975. Bush has several books since his terms as president including “Decision Points” and “41.”

The former president follows a list of other notable figures to visit the U.S. Elections class this semester, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and former presidential candidates Pete Buttigieg and Julián Castro.

Bush also visited campus as part of the Chancellor’s Lecture Series on March 11, 2019.

Senior Lilly Urness said that students knew that it would “someone big” because the professors told students to refrain from recording or taking notes.

“It was cool to hear what he had to say especially because he doesn’t speak publically often anymore and very rarely puts out press statements,” Urness said. “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to hear what he had to say off the record.”