The Highest Office

A visual journey of those who aspired to become president, celebrating the intersection of photojournalism and political history.

JRH Gallery

M-W: 9:00 – 9:00

Th – F: 9:00 – 4:00

Through Nov. 16 [A closing alumni homecoming reception before game]

The Highest Office is a powerful photo exhibit featuring iconic images captured by award-winning alumni of Western Kentucky University’s School of Media and Communication’s Visual Journalism and Photography program. These photographers chronicle the journey presidential candidates take before assuming the nation’s highest office, providing a rare and intimate look at the human side of American political campaigns.

From Beto O’Rourke standing on a stump in a front yard in Iowa, George W. Bush making his final plea just days before an election, the thousands that gather for the national conventions or images from an assassination attempt on Donald Trump, each photograph tells a unique story. These moments remind us that before a president occupies the White House, they must first navigate the complex and emotional path to leadership.

If you are interested in developing any learning opportunity or wish to coordinate a hosted tour, please contact tim.broekema@wku.edu, gallery curator.

FEATURED ARTISTS INCLUDE: