Kansas State University president Richard Linton was a guest at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Tuesday.
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., invited Linton as his guest during the president’s annual speech regarding the nation’s current status and specific issues his administration plans to address in the coming year.
Linton told The Mercury he was incredibly thankful and honored to attend the State of the Union.
“To be there with most of the U.S. leadership was amazing,” Linton said. “I’ve got goosebumps still.”
Moran explained why he chose Linton as his guest in a statement prior to the address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
“As the president of K-State University, a consequential position that impacts each of our state’s 105 counties and is vital to Kansas’ current and future success, Dr. Linton plays an important role in training and equipping our state’s talented workforce,” Moran wrote. “K-State is a national leader in research and development significant to our nation and is at the forefront of our efforts to increase Kansas’ global competitiveness in the agriculture, food, animal science and biodefense industries.”
Linton said Moran chose him to be his guest because Moran knew how much he would enjoy the experience.
“He was right,” Linton said. “This goes way above any bucket list item I could think of.”
Linton will mark one year as president of K-State on Feb. 14.
“I was surprised when I got the invitation,” Linton said, “but I’m very thankful.”
