The Division of Student Life creates transformational opportunities, inclusive environments, and meaningful connections that maximize student growth, learning, and success.
Past Lectures
2020-2022
2023-2024
- Dan Povenmire: Unleashing Imagination: The Power of Creativity (October 2, 2023)
- Matthew Mercer: From Dungeon Master to Storyteller: The Art of Crafting Engaging Narratives (November 6, 2023)
- Bradley Whitford - The West Wing Effect: 25 Years of Impact on Political Discourse (March 11, 2024)
2022-2023
- Jose Antonio Vargas: Define American: Let's Talk About Immigration
- Hank Green: The Science of Lying, the Terrifying Truth about Bananas, and Other Scientific Wonders
- Carla Hall: Food and Fashion, Finding Purpose Through Passion
- Mina Kimes and Sarah Thomas: Title IX: 50 Years of Women Breaking Barriers in Sports
2021-2022
- JuJu Chang: Anti-Asian Racism in America (Monday, October 4, 2021)
- Gregory Maguire: No Rest for the Wicked (Monday, February 14, 2022)
- Ken Jennings: All the World's a Jeopardy! Stage (Monday, March 7, 2022)
- Sean Astin: I Can Carry You: Destigmatizing Mental Health (Monday, April 4, 2022)
2020-2021
- Gabrielle Union and Dr. Michael Eric Dyson: BLM: Artists, Academics & Activism (Monday, October 5, 2020)
- Bob Woodward: How We Got Here: The State of the American Presidency (Monday, February 15, 2021)
- Nick DiGiovanni: Food and Climate with Chef Nick DiGiovanni (Monday, March 15, 2021)
2009 – 2010
- Edward James Olmos: Social Activism and Education : How We Become One Gang (March 22, 2010)
- Cleve Jones*: Harvey Milk, the AIDS Quilt, and Human Rights (February 8, 2010)
- Selena Roberts and Drew Rosenhaus*: Professional Sports: Are Fans the Losers? (November 2, 2009)
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.*: Our Environmental Destiny (September 21, 2009)
2008 – 2009
- Salman Rushdie*: At What Cost Safety? Today’s Moral Compass (March 23, 2009)
- Dan Rather*: The First 100 Days (February 23, 2009)
- Jonathan Murray*: Unscripted: The Real Story of Real World and Reality TV (October 27, 2008)
- Elisabeth Bumiller, Larry Wilmore, and John Zogby*: Election 2008: How Race, Gender and Age Are Reshaping American Politics (October 6, 2008)
2007 – 2008
- James McBride*: Plain Talk: A Meditation On American Pop Culture (March 31, 2008)
- Dan Patrick*: Athletes as Heroes: Are There No Role Models Anymore? (February 11, 2008)
- Daniel Kindlon & Rossalind Wiseman*: Queen Bees or Alpha Girls: The State of Young Womanhood Today (October 29, 2007)
- Dee Dee Myers & Scott McClellan*: The 2008 Presidential Election: An Insider's View (September 17, 2007)
2006 – 2007
- Bob Schieffer*: From The Anchor's Desk, Facing the Nation (March 5, 2007)
- Kathy Reichs*: Forensic Anthropology: Crime Lab to Crime Fiction (February 12, 2007)
- Gregory Maguire: Wicked (November 13, 2006)
- Tom Daschle & Rod Paige*: No Child Left Behind: Is It Making the Grade? (October 16, 2006)
2005 – 2006
- Helen E. Fisher: Why We Love (March 6, 2006)
- Brandi Chastain & Rick Riley: Is Sport Still A Game? Sports in US Culture (February 6, 2006)
- Bebe Moore Campbell: Singing in the Comeback Choir (November 14, 2005)
- Bob Woodward*: From Deep Throat to Iraq (September 26, 2005)
2004 – 2005
- Paul Rusabagina: Hotel Rwanda: A Lesson Yet to be Learned (February 23, 2005)
- Edna Buchanan, Carol H. Clark, Matthew Pearl*: Who Done It? An Evening of Murder, Mayhem, and Literature (November 17, 2004)
- Patrick Buchanan & Andrew Cuomo: A Debate (October 4, 2004)
2003 – 2004
- Carol Spinney*: The Wisdom of Big Bird and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch: The Lessons from a Life in Feathers (March 30, 2004)
- Ralph Nader & Alan Keyes*: Our Future-Whom Should We Trust? (February 9, 2004)
- Gloria Steinem*: Feminism 101 (November 17, 2003)
- P.J. O'Rourke*: All the Trouble in the World: If Things Have Been Going to Hell Forever, Why Haven't They Gotten There Yet? (September 23, 2003)
2002 – 2003
- Ben Stein: Better Than Ben Stein's Money: An Evening with Ben Stein (February 24, 2003)
- Cornel West*: Race Matters (January 23, 2003)
- Meave Leakey: Origins and Evolution: The Search and Discovery of How We Became Human (October 14, 2002)
2001 – 2002
- Dave Barry*: Higher Education: A Bad Idea or What? (March 5, 2002)
- Lani Guinier*: Lift Every Voice (January 24, 2002)
- Georgie Ann Geyer: Where is the World Going? (November 5, 2001)
- Jean-Michael Cousteau: An Evening with Jean Michael-Cousteau (October 1, 2001)
2000 – 2001
- Pat Mitchell*: Social Responsibility & Business (April 2, 2001)
- Brandford Marsalis*: Virtuosity and Excellence (March 5, 2001)
- Frank Deford & Carolyn Peck*: Race, Title 9, and the State of Intercollegiate Athletics (February 5, 001)
- Carlos Fuentes*: US and Latin America: Sharing a Continent (October 30, 2000)
- Helen Thomas: The Presidential Election and the Media (September 27, 2000)
1999 – 2000
- David Halberstam: The Culture of Celebrity (April 3, 2000)
- Jonathan Kozol*: Amazing Grace: Children and the Conscience of a Nation (March 6, 2000)
- Morris Dees*: Teaching Tolerance (February 1, 2000)
- Ralph Reed*: Values and Politics (November 15, 1999)
- Robin Roberts*: A Celebration of Winning Women (October 4, 1999)
1998 – 1999
- Lech Walesa*: Value and It's Role in Politics (March 29, 1999)
- Barry Scheck*: DNA Evidence: The Innocence Project (January 26, 1999)
- Karen Armstrong: A History of God (November 2, 1998)
- Robert D. Ballard*: Living the Dream: Deep Space Exploration (September 22, 1998)
1997 – 1998
- Bob Beckel & Tony Snow*: A Debate: Clinton and the New Congress--Leading Up to Battleground 2000 (February 25, 1998)
- Ronald Takaki*: A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural Earth (January 26, 1998)
- Gloria Steinem: The Revolution from Within (October 28, 1997)
- Alice Walker*: The Same River Twice: Honoring the Difficult (September 30, 1997)
1996 – 1997
- Dr. Robert Grant & Tim Riley*: A Censorship Debate (March 26, 1997)
- George Stephanopoulos: A View From Washington (March 4, 1997)
- Gregory Nava: The Latino American Experience in America (February 4, 1997)
- Ralph Nader & Richard Thornburgh: Consumer vs. Corporate America-Who's Got the Power? (November 18, 1996)
- Joyce Poole*: Coming of Age with Elephants (October 15, 1996)
1995 – 1996
- Marlin Fitzwater: The 1996 Elections (April 10, 1996)
- Dr. M Jocelyn Elders: The Future of Healthcare Reform (March 11, 1996)
- Captain James Lovell: Apollo 13: A Successful Failure (February 13, 1996)
- Greg Louganis*: Breaking the Surface (November 9, 1995)
- Linda Chavez & Julianne Malveaux: Debate on Affirmative Action (September 27, 1995)
1994 – 1995
- Philip Roth: Patrimony (April 5, 1995)
- Wendy Wasserstein*: A Life in the Theater (February 28, 1995)
- Dr. Jean Kilbourne: Deadly Persuasion: Advertising & Addiction (November 14, 1995)
- Randall Robinson*: US Foreign Policy in Haiti (October 26, 1994)
- Edward James Olmos: We're All in the Same Gang (September 20, 1994)
1993 – 1994
- Jamie Escalante: Ganas: Desire to Learn is What Counts (February 11, 1994)
- P.J. O'Rourke (November 17, 1993)
- Jean-Michael Cousteau: Rediscovery of the World (November 9, 1993)
- Joseph Steffan: A Gay American Fights for the Right to Serve his Country (October 14, 1993)
- Nadine Stossen: Controversies and the Constitution (September 13, 1993)
1992 – 1993
- Naomi Wolf (March 9, 1993)
- Chief Wilma Mankiller* (February 16, 1993)
- Scott Turow: My Life in Letters (November 11, 1992)
- William Bennet: Our Children & Our Country: Challenges to America in Education (October 12, 1992)
1991 – 1992
- Angela Y. Davis*: Part 1: The Legacy of Columbus and the Future of South Africa (March 6, 1992)
- Robert Kennedy Jr.: Our Environmental Destiny (February 24, 1992)
- William F. Buckley: Reflections on Current Contentions (November 6, 1991)
- Christie Hefner: Marketing in the 90's: Where are the Opportunities? What are the Challenges? (September 30, 1991)
1990 -1991
- Gary Shepard: Beijing, Baghdad, and Beyond (April 15, 1991)
- Margaret Atwood: A Poet's Voice-A Reading with Commentary (February 5, 1991)
- Elie Wiesel: An Evening with Elie Wiesel (November 7, 1990)
- William Rusher & Nat Hentoff: A 1st Amendment Debate (October 3, 1990)
1989 – 1990
- Cicely Tyson: A Tribute to the Civil Rights Movement (March 6, 1990)
- Stanislov Levchenko: Inside the KGB (February 7, 1990)
- Frank Borman: The Future of Aviation (November 7, 1989)
- Susan Sontag: Illness as Metaphor (October 10, 1989)
1988- 1989
- Kurt Vonnegut, Jr: How to Get a Job Like Mine (March 29, 1989)
- Richard E. Leakey: The Origins of Mankind (February 13, 1989)
- Shirley Chisholm: Of Course Women Dare (November 1, 1988)
- Mike Farrell: An Exchange of Views (September 27, 1988)
1987 – 1988
- John Kenneth Galbraith: An Evening with John Kenneth Galbraith (April 7, 1988)
- Dale Can Atta: Scandals, Scoundrels, and Saints: News Behind the Headlines (March 1, 1988)
- Gloria Steinem: Women of the Eighties: The Second Wave (October 12, 1987)
- Henry G. Cisneros: Survival of the American Cities in the 1980s (September 22, 1987)
1986 – 1987
- Tom Wolfe: An Evening with the Author (April 14, 1987)
- Dumisani Kumalo & Donald Woods: Personal Experiences in South Africa (February 4, 1987)
- Dr. Joyce Brothers: Unlocking Your Hidden Powers-The Key to Success (October 21, 1986)
1985 – 1986
- Ralph Nader: Consumer Issues of the 80s (April 9, 1986)
- Simon Wiesenthal: Murders Among Us: Consequences of the Holocaust (November 13, 1985)
- Judith Crist: Mad About the Movies (October 8, 1985)
1984 – 1985
- Anne Burford: Inside the EPA (April 9, 1985)
- Joshua Logan: Life in the Theater with Joshua Logan (February 13, 1985)
- Richard Reeves: 1984: The Year of Voting Dangerously (November 14, 1984)
- Sir Harold Wilson: International Dimension of American Foreign Policy (October 1, 1984)
1983-1984
- Christine Craft: Television News and Show Business (March 12, 1984)
- Frances Fitzgerald: Cultural Dimensions of American Foreign Policy (November 1, 1983)
1982-1983
- Albert Hague: Fame: From Professor to Albert Hauge: Converting Your Education into a Livelihood (April 12, 1983)
- Jeff Greenfield: Politics in the Age of Mass Media (March 8, 1983)
- Michael Manley: The Third World (November 16, 1982)
1981-1982
- Jean-Michel Cousteau: Underwater Jungle Law (March 2, 1982)
- Mike Peters: Confessions of an Editorial Cartoonist (February 8, 1982)
- Coretta Scott King: Major Challenges for the 80's: Eliminating Poverty, Racism, & Violence (November 30, 1981)
- Betty Williams: Can There Be Peace in Northern Ireland (October 12, 1981)
1980-1981
- Kathryn L. Koop (April 6, 1981)
- John T. Malloy: Dress for Sucess (February 3, 1981)
- Mercedes McCambridge: Personal Saga of Courage in the Face of Alcoholism (November 5, 1980)
- Andrew Young (October 8, 1980)
1979-1980
- Alexander Ginzburg: The Human Rights Struggle in the Soviet Union (April 15, 1980)
- William Sawcross: The Holocaust in Cambodia (March 6, 1980)
- Joseph Heller (October 30, 1979)
- Jane Fonda & Tom Hayden: Critical Issues Facing America as it Heads into the 80's (October 23, 1979)
- Ed Bradley: Black in America: With All Deliberate Speed (September 11, 1979)
1978-1979
- Bella Abzug (April 10, 1979)
- William A. Leonard: Is There Television After Death (March 29, 1979)
- William F. Buckley Jr.: Some of the Problems of Freedom (November 14, 1978)
- Carl Bernstein: The American Press After Watergate (October 26, 1978)
- Clarence M. Kelley: Terrorism and Kidnapping (September 12, 1978)
1977-1978
- Howard K. Smith: The Changing Challenge to America: Today's News in Perspective (April 4, 1978)
- Ambassador Abba Eban: The Prospects for Peace in the Middle East (September 5, 1977)