Principia speaker series presents virtual 'who's who' of worldwide notables

Principia speaker series presents virtual ‘whos who of worldwide notables Image

ELSAH — it seems rather extraordinary that the famous, the legendary, the important, the compassionate, the accomplished and distinguished all would make their way to a small, rural Midwestern village.

But speaker series programs at Principia College have proven to be draws for a plethora of renowned individuals, many of whom are household names.

The private school for Christian Scientists sits tucked among the bluffs just outside the historic village of Elsah, population about 650. and Elsah itself has its own appeal, especially to those interested in the historic atmosphere and structures, many built with local stone. both the village and Principia have been included on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2009, Principia was ranked no. 57 on Forbes magazine’s list of best Colleges in America. So, it’s really not much of a surprise that a top-ranking college in such an idyllic setting brings in the likes of George H.W. Bush, Margaret Thatcher and Barack Obama, all of whom have traveled to the school attended by 550 students from all over the world.

Special Events Director Tim Booth is a 1972 Principia graduate, returning to the college to work in 1989. in 1996, he began helping to restructure the speaker series into what it is today, having attracted 150 prominent figures so far.

Past president of the college, Dr. George Moffett, a former correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and Jimmy Carter White House aide, wanted to bring in speakers who would inspire the students, Booth said.

"We worked together to form a program that would make that happen, and it has been very successful; we have received tremendous positive feedback, and events are well-attended," Booth said.

A committee helps to identify and obtain potential speakers who would be relevant and beneficial for the students, based on current events and programs at the school. The main speaking engagement is open to students, faculty, staff and the public, but speakers often stick around a day or two to participate in some sort of student-only activity. for example, Robert Duvall taught an acting class, while Sandra Day O’Connor stayed three days and met with faculty members. others talk with student groups, or host seminars or activities, adding to the student experience.

Speaker programs through The Principia College Office of Special Events include The George a. Andrews Distinguished Speaker Series, The Diversity Speaker Series, The Annenberg Visiting Scholar Program, the Ernie and Lucha Vogel Moral Courage Lecture Series, The Principia College Speakers Series and Principia College Speakers Committee.

"I make it my business to be in tune with what’s happening in the world, ideologically, and on both sides of the political spectrum," Booth said. "Presenting multiple perspectives gives the students a better education. in our diversity series, we present speakers who represent diverse perspectives in gender, race and religion."

He said the series has two primary objectives. One is to provide educational value for the students, and the other is to provide an opportunity to share with neighbors in the community some truly culturally enriched programs.

The upcoming season begins with Professor Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize and founder of the Grameen Bank. he will appear at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, in the Cox Auditorium. Grameen Bank was the first bank to lend small amounts of money to the poorest of the poor, a concept called micro-enterprise lending, empowering millions in developing countries — especially women — to provide for themselves and their families using a free-market, for-profit capitalist model. Yunus also visited the college in 2003.

Also upcoming is Ambassador Joseph Wilson, husband of ex-CIA operations officer Valerie Plame. The movie, "Fair Game" starring Sean Penn as Wilson, based on the true story of Plame, will be released in new York the day before Wilson speaks at Principia at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7, in Cox Auditorium. a U.S. diplomat from 1976 to 1998, Wilson focused primarily on Africa and the Middle East. while on duty in Iraq, he was the last U.S. diplomat to meet with Saddam Hussein before the first Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm). Roughly a decade later, after conducting a 2002 CIA-authorized investigation into allegations that Iraq sought to purchase uranium yellowcake from Niger, Wilson found the allegations to be false. in 2003, he publicly challenged President George W. Bush for contradicting his findings in order to justify the invasion of Iraq. when media response revealed that Wilson’s wife, Plame, was a CIA agent, Wilson accused the Bush administration of leaking her identity. currently, Wilson consults broadly in international relations and business development. he also is the author of "The Politics of Truth."

"Remember the Titans" Coach Herman Boone will appear in Wanamaker Hall at 8 p.m. Jan. 13. Boone is the coach portrayed by Denzel Washington in the popular film. The city of Alexandria, Va., integrated its school system and appointed Boone, an African-Native American, as the first head football coach at T.C. Williams High School over a white coach with several years of seniority. Boone was able to unify a diverse coaching staff, an unfocused team, and a city divided by prejudice and hate to produce one of the most powerful football programs in Virginia’s history.

Monitor Night Live will feature a panel of Christian Science Monitor journalists at 8 p.m., Jan. 28, in Cox Auditorium. Christian Science Monitor Editor John Yemma moderates a panel of senior Monitor correspondents in a discussion of breaking news. using digital telecommunications technology, some panel members will appear and be heard on the big screen. others will be present onstage. following opening remarks, the panelists will respond to questions from the audience.

Laurance Doyle, principal investigator at the SETI Institute, will speak April 22 in Cox Auditorium. an astrophysicist, Doyle received his Ph.D. from the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany. in his first job at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, he analyzed images of Jupiter and Saturn sent from the spacecraft Voyager. since 1987, he has been a principal investigator at the SETI Institute, detecting and studying extrasolar planets. he currently is comparing dolphin whistles with baby babble in an attempt to predict extraterrestrial communications.

Colin Beavan, author of "The no Impact Man," will speak in Wanamaker Hall at 7:30 p.m., May 5. a new York City writer and self-proclaimed "guilty liberal," he based the book on an experiment to live one year with as little impact on the environment as possible. The experience proved trying for his family members.

Booth said one or two additional speakers possibly could be added in the spring.

Past speakers also have included Colin Powell, President Jimmy Carter, Maya Angelou, David McCullough, Elie Wiesel, Robert Duvall and actor Val Kilmer, whose brother attended Principia, among many others.

For tickets or more information, visit www.principiaspeakers.com.

vbennington@sbcglobal.net