Public invited to Oct. 6 event featuring author, speechwriter, humorist
David Litt
The University of Central Arkansas will host New York Times bestselling author, political speechwriter and humorist David Litt for a one-day residency Tuesday, Oct. 6, with events focused on speechwriting, communication and storytelling.
“Having David Litt come to UCA is honestly a dream come true for me,” Dr. Nelle Bedner, professor of communication, said. “I’ve been teaching communication for 29 years — 26 at UCA — so I’ve had the privilege of watching countless students find their voices and discover where their paths might lead.
“As a professor, I’m excited about what David will bring to our students. I’ve been captivated by the story of his journey, from the first time he heard Barack Obama speak to ultimately becoming one of Obama’s speechwriters. David also embodies so much of what we hope our students understand about communication: the importance of knowing your audience, the craft of finding exactly the right words, the ability to work under pressure and the ethical responsibility that comes with having a voice.”
Litt’s residency will feature a class visit with students in Advanced Public Speaking, a student workshop on the craft of speechwriting and a public event that explores communication across interpersonal differences. The public event will be held at the College of Business Auditorium 106 at 7 p.m. All events are located on the UCA campus, open to the public and free of charge, with no tickets required for entry.
The full schedule for Litt’s residency is as follows:
- 10:50 a.m. — Student Event: Class Visit with Advanced Public Speaking, Win Thompson Hall 206.
- 2 p.m. — Student Workshop: “The Craft of Speechwriting with David Litt,” Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts 119.
- 7 p.m. — Public Event: “Talking Across Differences: An Evening with David Litt,” College of Business Auditorium 106.
David Litt is a New York Times bestselling author, political speechwriter and humorist. His work bridges politics, storytelling and comedy. He is a former senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama, and Litt was described as “the comic muse for the president” for his contributions to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
Since leaving the White House, Litt has written for major publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic, TIME and The Guardian, and he continues to advise both political leaders, chief executive officers, philanthropists and public figures on speechwriting and communication.
Litt is the author of “Thanks, Obama,” (2017), “Democracy in One Book or Less” (2020) and “It’s Only Drowning” (2025).
More information about the residency is available by contacting Bedner at nelleb@uca.edu.
The UCA Artists in Residence program is funded by the Fine and Performing Arts Fee paid by all students, with additional support from Engage Management and Pyramid Art, Books, and Custom Framing. More information about the Artists in Residence program is available at uca.edu/go/artistsinresidence or by contacting Dr. Gayle Seymour, associate dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, at gayles@uca.edu.