Capitol Connection: Political Figures Who Switched To Academia (And Vice Versa)

Brandon Smith / Indiana Public Broadcasting

Gov. Mitch Daniels speaks to reporters at an event Wednesday morning amid reports he will be the next president of Purdue University.

Though multiple media outlets are reporting Mitch Daniels will Purdue University’s next president, the governor did not want to talk about it at a Wednesday morning press event.

“It’s just not appropriate. It’s not my— it’s not a topic for today,” Daniels told Indiana Public Broadcasting‘s Brandon Smith, adding “Of course I’m committed to this job, whatever else does or doesn’t happen.”

If Daniels’ move from the statehouse in Indianapolis to Hovde Hall in West Lafayette is confirmed at Thursday’s trustees meeting, he wouldn’t be the first politician to take on the top job at a university.

Below the jump, we have a photo gallery of ten big names who made the leap from politics to academia (or vice versa).

We should add the slideshow is not exhaustive. We leave out a few of the names we brainstormed. Who would you have included? Let us know in the comments section.

(Sources: Eisenhower, Boren, Gates, Summers, Gregg, Starr, Jefferson, Branstad, Kerrey, Wilson. Also, thanks to WIBC’s Eric Berman and the Education Writers Association.)