Thursday, October 15, 2026

The Hagerty Center

Great Lakes Campus

Northwestern Michigan College

An Evening of Political Insight & Global Perspective

The International Affairs Forum 2nd Annual Gala is Thursday, October 15, 2026 at the elegant Hagerty Center on NMC's Great Lakes Campus in Traverse City.

Keynote address

Candy Crowley

Award-winning journalist, former CNN Chief Political Correspondent & host of State of the Union with Candy Crowley

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  • About Candy Crowley

    Candy Crowley is an award-winning journalist and one of the smartest and most astute observers of politics of our time. She served as CNN’s chief political correspondent and the host of its Sunday morning talk show State of the Union with Candy Crowley, a political hour of interviews and analysis of the week’s most important issues. She covered presidential, congressional, and gubernatorial elections and major legislative developments on Capitol Hill for more than two decades, and the Los Angeles Times called her “no-nonsense” and a “straight shooter,” characterizing her career as “sophisticated political observation, graceful writing, and determined fairness.”


    In 2012, she became the first woman to moderate a presidential debate in

    two decades when she led the general election debate between President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney. Covering the most important news stories in recent history, her assignments have taken her to all 50 states and around the world. She reported on the campaigns of every president since Ronald Reagan, and since the nomination of Jimmy Carter, she has covered all but one national political convention.


    Since becoming the anchor of her own weekly news and public affairs program, Crowley has also interviewed the top political newsmakers including: Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President George W. Bush together with his brother, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush; and former Vice President Dick Cheney with his daughter Liz Cheney.


    Awards

    Crowley has won several awards for her incredible work, including a 2003 Emmy Award, the 2004 and 2009 Gracie Allen Awards, a National Headliner and a Cine award, the 2005 Edward R. Murrow Award, the Broadcasters’ Award from the Associated Press, the 2003 and 1998 Dirksen Awards from the National Press Foundation, the 1997 and 2005 Joan Shorenstein Barone Awards, and the 2012 William Allen White Foundation National Citation from the school of journalism at the University of Kansas for her expertise on “politics, politicians, and the events that have changed the world.” She also played a pivotal role in CNN’s 2008 Peabody Award-winning coverage and was part of the network’s Emmy Award-winning 2006 midterm election coverage.


    Early Career 

    Crowley began her broadcast journalism career in Washington, DC, as a newsroom

    assistant for Metromedia radio station WASH-FM. She served as an anchor for Mutual Broadcasting System radio network, as well as a general assignment and White House correspondent for the Associated Press, where she covered part of the Reagan era before moving on to NBC-TV to become a general assignment correspondent in NBC’s Washington bureau. Crowley joined CNN in 1987 and took the reins as anchor of State of the Union.


A Celebration with Purpose


This special evening celebrates our vibrant IAF community while expanding our mission to foster understanding of critical global issues through education and thoughtful dialogue. Your attendance helps welcome more Grand Traverse citizens into our community of globally-minded individuals.

Global connection for local students


IAF is committed to multi-generational education on issues of global importance. We facilitate impactful interactions between local students and world-renowned experts in diplomacy, policy, journalism, academia and more. You can be part of our mission.

Event Details


Date & time

Thursday, October 15, 2026

6:00 PM | Cocktail Reception

7:00 PM | Dinner

8:00 PM | Program


Location

Hagerty Center, NMC Great Lakes Campus, 715 E. Front St., Traverse City


Attire

Semi-formal


Ticket Options

Individual: $150

Global Sponsor: $500 for 2 guests

Table Sponsor: $1,500 up to 8 guests


Elevate Your Impact: Become a Gala Sponsor


By becoming a corporate or table sponsor, your organization aligns with the region's most engaged, committed citizens to shape Northern Michigan's civic and economic vitality.


Your support directly sustains our expert-led, nonpartisan dialogue on global issues while ensuring IAF events remain free and accessible to students and educators across our community.


Sponsor the IAF 2nd Annual Gala to secure premium seating for your group, gain premier brand visibility, or even claim an exclusive spot to dine directly with our featured guest speaker, Candy Crowley.


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Be a champion for global affairs


Proceeds from this fundraising event directly support our exceptional programming and enhance our educational impact throughout Northern Michigan.


Your impact


Proceeds from this event directly support our exceptional programming and enhance our educational impact throughout Northern Michigan. You can help foster global citizenship in our local community.


Unable to attend the Gala? You can still make a donation to support IAF's critical work in northern Michigan and beyond.

MAKE A GALA DONATION