Charles W. Dent M'93, vice president of the Aspen Institute and executive director of the Congressional Program, will deliver the address at Lehigh’s Graduate Commencement and Doctoral Hooding Ceremony at Goodman Stadium on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
“Returning to South Mountain to address Lehigh’s master’s and doctoral students is a profound privilege,” Dent said. “My hope is to celebrate their hard work while reminding them that a Lehigh education is just the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of discovery.”
The former Congressman last spoke on campus in 2020, delivering the Kenner Lecture on Cultural Understanding, “A View from the Trenches: The Politics of Anger and What Challenges Centrist Problem Solvers,” describing what he called “the wretched state of American politics, driven so much by anger and fear.”
“We are honored to have such a distinguished leader share his wisdom and insight with our graduate and doctoral candidates,” Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble ’82 said. “With his experience navigating the complexities of public policy and government, I know our students will be inspired by his unique perspective on what it takes to lead with integrity and vision in today’s world.”
Inside His Years in Congress
Dent, who earned a master’s in public administration from Lehigh, had a nearly 30-year public service career, spending almost half of that time as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives serving Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District (now the 7th District).
While a member of Congress, Dent was a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, serving as chair of the Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies. From 2015 to 2017, he served as the chairman of the House Committee on Ethics.
Prior to serving seven terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, Dent served the 16th district in the Pennsylvania Senate for six years. He began his political career in 1991 when he was elected as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 132nd Congressional District.
Life Outside Public Service
Dent, an Allentown native, remains involved in politics, albeit in a different capacity. At Aspen Institute, he leads bipartisan, bicameral policy education programs for sitting members of Congress. He appears on CNN and other networks regularly as a political commentator offering his insight and analysis.
After announcing he would not seek re-election in 2017 and retiring from politics in 2018, Dent joined DLA Piper, a global law firm, where he remains a senior policy advisor.
Dent was a distinguished advisor for Pew Charitable Trusts, the inaugural visiting fellow at Penn State’s McCourtney Institute for Democracy, and a former visiting fellow with the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House Program.
He also serves on the boards of CARE USA and the National Archives Foundation, and is a
member of the Task Force for American Democracy, which was launched in November 2025.
In addition to his Lehigh education, Dent holds a Bachelor of Arts in foreign service and international politics from Penn State University. In 2015, he received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Moravian University.
Visit Lehigh’s Commencement website for more information on Commencement programming and updates.
The 2026 schedule is as follows:
Graduate Commencement and Doctoral Hooding Ceremony
Recognizing master’s and doctoral candidates
Saturday, May 16
9:30 a.m. at Goodman Stadium
Baccalaureate
Saturday, May 16
4:00 p.m. at Packer Memorial Church
Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
Sunday, May 17
9:30 a.m. at Goodman Stadium
