Past Lectures
*Indicates the lecture is available on DVD in the Cliff Alexander Leadership Library (2020 Armstrong Student Center). Most also available at King Library.
2019-2020
Hope Solo and Paul Daugherty: Fight Like a Girl: The Quest for Equality (Monday, October 7, 2019)
2010-2018
2018-2019
- Ice T: Race in America: Bridging the Gap (Monday, September 24, 2018)
- Jordyn Wieber and Rachael Denhollander: Sister Survivors: Former Gymnasts Ignite Change (#Metoo, #ustoo) (Monday, October 29, 2018)
- David Hogg and Alex Wind: The Student Voice: Parkland Students Speak (Monday, February 18, 2019)
- Rainn Wilson: Chew on Life's Big Questions (Monday, March 11, 2019)
- Clinton Kelly, Fashion Expert from TLC's "What Not to Wear": Dressing the Body You Have, Not the Body You Want (Monday, April 8, 2019)
2017-2018
- Katty Kay: The View from Outside: Insights on American Politics from BBC's Lead Anchor (Monday, September 25, 2017)
- Jodie Sweetin: After Full House: Acting, Addiction, and Recovery (Monday, October 30, 2017)
- Daniel Handler: Lemony Snicket's Bewildering Circumstances (Monday, February 19, 2018)
- Reshma Saujani: Closing the Gender Gap in Technology: A STEM Path Forward for Girls Who Code (Monday, March 12, 2018)
2016-2017
- Dr. Bennett Omalu and Jean Marie Laskas: Concussion: Don’t Break the Rules, Change the Game (Monday, October 3, 2016)
- Bill Nye: Science Rules: Why Science is Cooler than Ever (Wednesday, November 16, 2016)
- Laura Ricciardi & Moira Demos: Making of "Making a Murderer" (Monday, February 6, 2017)
- Drew Dudley: Everyday Leadership: Leading with Lollipops (Monday, March 6, 2017)
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Beyond Black & White (Monday, April 3, 2017)
2015-2016
- Pete Rose and Paul Daugherty: Winning is Everything: The Hit King Talks Ethics in Sport (September 21, 2015)
- Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi: #BlackLivesMatter: The Founders Speak (October 26, 2015)
- Caroll Spinney, Sonia Manzano, Michael Davis: The Role of Sesame Street in the Development of Cultural Awareness (February 15, 2016)
- Wil Wheaton: Stop Hitting Yourself: Let's Talk about Bullying (Monday, April 4, 2016)
2014 – 2015 Series
- Tim Gunn: Fashioning Life’s Lessons (March 9, 2015)
- Dr. Drew Pinsky: Addiction Can Happen to You (February 16, 2015)
- Christine Brennan & Wade Davis: You can Play: LGBT Athletes in Sports (November 10, 2014)
- Piper Kerman: Orange + Black = Gray: Injustice in the Criminal Justice System (September 29, 2014)
2013 – 2014 Series
- Jose Antonio Vargas*: Define American: Let’s Talk About Immigration (March 17, 2014)
- Mary Frances Berry, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, & Juan Williams*: Freedom Summer: the Voting Rights Act and the Political Realities of 2014 (February 24, 2014)
- Jonathan Kozol*: The Shame of the Nation: Public Education Still Separate, Still Unequal (November 18, 2013)
- Jack Hanna*: How We Can Better Share Our Planet with the Creatures Around Us (October 14, 2013)
- Kari Byron & Tory Belleci*: How the MythBusters Made Science Cool Again (September 23, 2013)
2012 – 2013 Series
- Neil deGrasse Tyson*: Science as a Way of Knowing (April 8, 2013)
- Krista Tippett*: On Bring: Spirituality in Modern Times (January 28, 2013)
- Rick Steves*: Europe Through the Back Door (November 12, 2012)
- Becki Donatelli & Sam Graham-Felson*: #Voting: Social Media and the 2012 Election (October 15, 2012)
- Jerry Springer*: Media Manipulation from the Master Manipulator (September 24, 2012)
2011 – 2012 Series
- Geoffrey Canada*: Improving the Lives of Children, One Poor Child at a Time (February 27, 2012)
- Sanjay Gupta*: Medicine and Media: Reporting on War and Disaster (January 30, 2012)
- Armen Keteyian: Ethics Between the Lines: Is Integrity Gone From Sports? (October 24, 2011)
- Peter Bergen*: 10 Years Later: How 9/11 Changed America's Place in the World (September 12, 2011)
2010 – 2011 Series
- Soledad O'Brien*: Diversity: On TV, Behind the Scenes, and in Our Lives (April 4, 2011)
- Bill Nye*: Consider The Following: Let's Get Cool with Science! (January 31, 2011)
- Adam Richman*: Why We Eat, What We Eat, Where We Eat, and Why Culinary Anthropology Doesn’t Suck (November 1, 2010)
- Jon Landau*: From TITANIC to AVATAR: Where is Technology Taking Hollywood (October 11, 2010)
2000 - 2010
2009 – 2010 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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)
1990 - 2000
1999 – 2000 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- Naomi Wolf (March 9, 1993)
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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)
1984 - 1990
1989 – 1990 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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 Series
- 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)