U.S. Senator John Thune Discusses Career in Public Service and Senate Leadership on Credit Hour

VERMILLION, S.D. – U.S. Senator John Thune, M.B.A. ’84, spoke about his career in public service and experience serving in Senate leadership on this week’s episode of Credit Hour.

“You have to maintain that optimism and have a sense about the future that keeps you moving forward,” said Thune. “More than anything else to me if any of the lessons that we learn from all this try to extend grace to yourself but also to other people when you’re going through a tough time and look for ways to serve other people.”

Thune discussed the political polarization in the country.

“A lot of people say that politics is upstream from culture. I think it’s downstream from culture,” said Thune. “I think what happens politically mirrors or reflects what’s happening in the country and I think the country has been very divided and polarized and I think our politics reflects that.”

“To me, your political party needs to be anchored in something more than just the changing personalities because they come and go,” said Thune.

“I’ve always felt politics ought to be about appealing to people’s hopes, and not preying on their fears,” said Thune.

Speaking about his experience earning a master’s degree at USD in business administration, Thune reflected on the benefits of the program.

“I really appreciate and value looking at the world and looking at issues and problems through the prism of that MBA background,” said Thune.

Credit Hour is the University of South Dakota’s podcast highlighting the achievement, research and scholarship of its staff, students, alumni and faculty. Follow Credit Hour on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and www.usd.edu/podcast.

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