Finding Common Ground: Ric Keller, MRPL '26, on Embracing Difference
Former Republican U.S. Congressman Ric Keller, MRPL ’26, explored difference both in and out of the classroom at HDS, gathering insights he’ll use to help leaders disagree better without losing trust.
Ric Keller’s journey to Harvard Divinity School (HDS) began on a motorcycle. Following his years serving Florida’s 8th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, he found himself in a moment of career burnout after returning to his legal practice. Although he knew he wanted to focus on improving civil discourse, he was unsure how to navigate the transition. Then, on a ride with his friend, fellow lawyer, and HDS alum Saura Sahn, MRPL ’23, he was introduced to the Master in Religion and Public Life (MRPL) program at HDS.
“Saura said the MRPL year was the best year of his life, and it sounded wonderful to me,” said Keller. “The more I researched it, I thought it would be a great chance to have space to think about what comes next and explore the questions I’d been asking.”
'Rowing the Boat in the Same Direction'
Both inside and outside the classroom during Keller’s year at HDS, he immersed himself in the rhythms of student life, frequenting places and events with people from different cultural, religious, and political backgrounds. Keller said he initially wondered how his political background would shape his experience at HDS, but he’s been pleasantly surprised time and again by his reception.
“I’ve spent a lot of time each week hanging out with people much different than I am,” said Keller. “I’ve been blown away by the kindness and inclusivity of my fellow students and colleagues.”
At HDS, Keller experienced this hospitality and acceptance within his MRPL cohort, a group that proved to be a consistent source of inspiration and inquiry.
“We got to know each other very well,” said Keller. “We came from different backgrounds—from Hollywood to Washington to the corporate world, and we’re all different religiously and politically. But we got along fantastically.”
Another setting that shaped his experience and further exposed him to difference was the comedy scene within the University community. Seeking to cultivate his love of comedy and expand his public speaking skills from a different angle, Keller enrolled in a comedy-writing course offered by Harvard’s English department.
It hit me that we’re all on the same team, rowing the boat in the same direction; that we’re all human and we have so much more in common than we realize.”
“I was in the class with students who wrote for the Harvard Lampoon—fantastic writers, Saturday Night Live quality material,” he said. “I learned so much from them.”
Members of the class involved with the Harvard Undergraduate Stand-Up Comic Society (HUSUCS) invited Keller to perform during one of their stand-up comedy shows. In front of MRPL cohort members, fellow comedy-writing classmates, and other friends from the HDS community, Keller’s hopes for his year at HDS were fully realized.
“Here I was, a 61-year-old, white, Republican guy, and I was accepted, appreciated, and included just like anyone else,” Keller said. “I was cognizant of the fact that I’m never going to have this experience again. It hit me that we’re all on the same team, rowing the boat in the same direction; that we’re all human and we have so much more in common than we realize.”
‘Leaving with a Wiser, More Open Mind’
Keller’s time at HDS enabled him to discover the coordinates needed to reach his envisioned destination. After Commencement, he will begin a new faculty role at the University of Florida’s Hamilton School for Classical and Civic Education as Professor of the Practice of Civil Discourse. He will also deliver keynote speeches on his favorite topic: helping leaders disagree better without losing trust.
“I want to help empower leaders to communicate persuasively with levity and civility, utilizing storytelling as a way of achieving this,” he said.
Looking back on this academic year, Keller credits HDS with showing him new things about himself.
“I learned that I’m open-minded and that I’m willing to be proven wrong and learn new things,” he said. “Being here opened my mind to listening to all sides and to more deeply appreciating the world’s religions. I’m leaving this place with a wiser, more open mind.”
Banner photo by Alex Bayer.