About Gary L. McDowell

Dr. Gary L. McDowell (1949-2021), former professor of leadership studies, was a leading constitutional scholar who joined the Jepson faculty in 2003 after a distinguished career in public life and the academy. 

Before coming to the Jepson School, McDowell directed the Institute of United States Studies and taught American studies at the University of London. He also served as a member of the United States-United Kingdom Educational Commission (The Fulbright Commission). Prior to his work in London, he directed the Office of the Bicentennial of the Constitution at the National Endowment for the Humanities, served as chief speechwriter for Attorney General Edwin Meese, and held various positions at Tulane, Harvard, Harvard Law School, and Dickinson.

McDowell was a fellow of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian Institution and Bradley Resident Scholar at the Center for Judicial Studies in Washington, D.C. He wrote or edited 11 books on subjects ranging from privacy to juvenile delinquency, politics, judicial power, and the Constitution.

McDowell appeared as a commentator on the PBS special reports "The Kennedy Confirmation Hearings" and "The Bork Confirmation Hearings" with Roger Mudd.

The Institute honors McDowell’s record as a scholar and tireless program leader. With the initial support of the Thomas W. Smith Foundation, McDowell built a highly successful speaker series, designed vibrant faculty seminars, and hosted numerous outstanding postdoctoral fellows. The Pauley Family Foundation and the Endeavor Legacy Foundation now provide support for the McDowell Institute.