“Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal joined River to River moderator Ben Kieffer on stage Nov. 5 at the Knapp Center for a Q&A about the economy, technology and truth in journalism.
This event was the third annual Bucksbaum Lectureship in Business, a series designed to bring leaders in business and economics to engage with the Drake University community.
The crowd erupted into applause as Kelly Bruhn, the next appointed dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication and chair of the Bucksbaum Lectureship Committee, introduced the speakers. The atmosphere was electric, with a mix of about 400 people ranging from students to professors and community members waiting to hear a voice they usually only catch on the radio.
“Events like this are why Drake matters,” Bruhn said. “We get to connect students and the community directly with the people shaping the national conversation.”
Ryssdal’s journey to becoming one of the most trusted voices in public media is not a typical one. Before his broadcast career, he served in the U.S. Navy and the Foreign Service — experiences that shaped his perspective as a journalist.
“The military defines who I am,” Ryssdal said in an interview. “It taught me how to understand people from all walks of life, and that is the foundation of the stories I tell every day.”
Once the cheers settled, Ryssdal dove straight into the week’s headlines, including election coverage.
“We do not know the results yet,” Ryssdal said. “Our job is not to predict outcomes; it is to explain what the economy really means to people day to day.”
He reminded the audience that the stock market is not always an accurate reflection of real life, noting that while market numbers rise and fall daily, they do not always represent how ordinary Americans experience the economy. “The stock market is not the economy,” Ryssdal said. “It is economy-adjacent. It affects how people feel, but not necessarily how they live.”
“The stock market is not the economy,” Ryssdal said. “It is economy-adjacent. It affects how people feel, but not necessarily how they live.”
Throughout the evening, Ryssdal mixed serious analysis with humor and wit, tackling topics from the federal shutdown to inflation.
“Americans are notoriously pessimistic, even when things are going well,” Ryssdal said, drawing a round of laughter from the crowd.
When the discussion turned to artificial intelligence, Ryssdal’s tone grew more cautious.
“AI is the wild card,” Ryssdal said. “It is a tool, not a crutch. We cannot run from it; we have to understand how to use it ethically. However, we should also be realistic. It is going to replace some human jobs.”
He also spoke about trade tensions between the U.S. and China, directly connecting the topic to Iowa’s agricultural economy. Iowa is one of the nation’s leading producers of soybeans, and China has historically been a major buyer. When tariffs disrupted that trade, China shifted to other suppliers, leaving Iowa farmers facing lasting challenges.
“China has no incentive to come back,” Ryssdal said. “Farmers here have spent decades building relationships that vanished overnight. That is the hard part, getting them back.”
In the crowd that night was April Hemmes, a North Central Iowa soybean farmer who has been featured on “Marketplace” several times.
“He makes it so easy to talk to him,” Hemmes said. “He listens and helps people like me explain farming to folks who have never even seen a soybean field. That is what makes him special — he tells real stories about real people.”
Erica Hartschen, Drake’s director of events for university advancement, said nights like this take months of planning and require a great deal of teamwork.
“The Bucksbaum series brings the community together,” Hartschen said. “Our goal is to create meaningful conversations that last beyond the event. Seeing students and community members fill the Knapp Center reminds us why it is worth it.”
As the event wrapped up, Ryssdal offered one final message.
“The most important thing you can do is help people understand the world around them,” Ryssdal said. “That is what good journalism is about, explaining things that actually affect people’s lives.”
Before the lights dimmed, the Bucksbaum Lectureship Committee released a teaser: the following lecture will feature New York Times bestselling author John Green, set to speak at Drake on April 4, 2026.
