FROM THE PRESIDENTDear Texas Leader, In 1980, a group of business, academic, and civic trailblazers gathered at the Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas with a shared concern: Texas needed a place where leaders could come together across industries, ideologies, and regions to confront the challenges shaping our state’s future. Their solution was the Texas Lyceum, an organization intentionally designed to be nonpartisan, nonpolitical, and non-adversarial. Nearly 46 years later, the Lyceum remains committed to that founding vision, convening difficult yet necessary conversations as Texas continues to grow, adapt, and evolve. For decades, the Texas Lyceum has served as a trusted barometer for Texans and State Legislators, bringing subject matter experts to the table and fostering civil, informed dialogue on the issues that matter most. This coming year, we have leaned deeply into several of the topics that sit at the forefront of the state’s priorities. Each conference is driven by data thanks to our partner Texas 2036 and guided by the Texas Strategic Economic Development Plan, ensuring our discussions are anchored in facts. As we prepare for our 2026 conferences, we are grounding our work in three core principles—values that have shaped every Lyceum gathering since our founding. This year, we begin with these principles intentionally, ensuring we continue to deliver the high-caliber experiences our conference attendees expect. When you register for any 2026 Lyceum conference, know that the pillars below guide every element of programming, content, and excursions:
Lyceum Directors and Alumni are rolling up their sleeves to prepare for the 90th Texas Legislature. In 2026, our theme is Texas Forward: Powered by the Texas Lyceum. This work represents both the continuation of our deep-rooted traditions and the pursuit of innovative, first-of-their-kind solutions. We enter these discussions grounded in the progress and goals accomplished through the 2025 Campaign for Civility, where we called on leaders at every level, local, state, and federal, to embrace the Lyceum’s core value of Civil Discourse, which is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy. 2026 Texas Lyceum Conferences • Bridging Borders and Harvesting Opportunities: Food Systems & Economic Impact • Savor the State: Where Hospitality Spurs Prosperity (Public Conference) • Disaster Recovery and Emergency Response (Optional Summer Conference) • Classroom to Commerce: Fueling the Texas Workforce Pipeline • Large Infrastructure and the Policy Behind It In addition to our conference programming, we will release the nationally recognized Texas Lyceum Poll during a special news conference. We will also continue to showcase cutting-edge research from our Texas Lyceum Fellows representing the University of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech University, and Texas Southern University. Please join us in 2026. Texas needs the Lyceum, and the Lyceum needs the best and brightest in Texas to be part of these conversations. Constructive civil discourse is essential if we are to strengthen our democracy and ensure Texas thrives—not just today, but for generations to come. I am deeply honored to serve as your President in 2026. It is a privilege to work alongside such exceptional leaders to steward an organization with an extraordinary legacy of impact. Together, we can—and will—accomplish great things for Texas. All my very best, JR Treviño
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