Convocations and events
Augustana College's convocations are held from 10:30-11:20 a.m. on selected Thursdays in Centennial Hall. They are free and open to the public as well as the campus community. For more information regarding convocations, contact Connie Ghinazzi.
September 2
Sharing our stories: What influenced you as a student at Augustana?
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| From left, Ann Boaden, Jennifer Burnham, Paul Olsen, Darrin Good, Wendy Hilton-Morrow. |
Faculty members Ann Boaden, Paul Olsen, Darrin Good, Wendy Hilton-Morrow and Jennifer Burnham will share their Augustana experience in celebration of the college's 150th anniversary.
Learn what each professor views as the influences that shaped his or her education at Augustana and how that affected career choices. Kai Swanson of the college president's office will moderate. Watch video
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| Elizabeth Royte |
September 9
You're drinking what? Bottled water or tap:
What's the difference and why should we care?
Elizabeth Royte looks beyond the environmental and ecological ramifications of the bottled water phenomenon (making, filling, transporting and land filling billions of bottles per year), to the tenuous state of our public water supplies. She ultimately makes the case for protecting public water supplies, for improving our water infrastructure and, in a world of increasing drought and pollution, better allocating the precious drinkable water that remains.
A widely acclaimed writer on science, the environment and mankind's uneasy relationship with both, Royte is the author of Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash and Bottlemania: Big Business, Local Springs and the Battle over America's Drinking Water. Watch video
September 16
First Connections festival with artists
from the Olson-Brandelle North American Indian Art Collection
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Artists will discuss and demonstrations their work in Centennial Hall, Larson Hall, Potter Hall and two tents in front of Bergendoff and Centennial halls.
The participating artists are D. Y. Begay, Navajo weaver, Robert Tenorio, Santo Domingo potter, Kathleen Wall, Jemez figurative potter, Richard Zane Smith, Wyandot potter, and Sally Black, Navajo basketmaker.
The Brown Otter Singers Song and Dance Group, Meskwaki, will provide a finale for this event in Centennial Hall. This interactive convocation will last 90 minutes. See Olson-Brandelle Collection.
September 30
Sex and the soul: Juggling sexuality, spirituality, romance and religion on campus
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| Donna Freitas |
Students today are fascinated by religion but are also more sexually active than previous generations. How do these young people reconcile their spiritual longings with sexual freedom on campus? Donna Freitas crisscrossed the country, visiting a range of America's colleges and universities to find out what students had to say about these highly personal subjects.
Freitas has been affiliated with Boston University's Department of Religion and this fall joined the faculty of Hofstra University. In addition to being a member of the Washington Post's online panel forum "On Faith," she has written fiction, nonfiction and frequently writes for many newspapers and webzines.
October 7
Illinois Appellate Court @ Augustana College
As part of a civic education program sponsored by Illinois Supreme Court Justice Tom Kilbride, the Illinois Appellate Court will hold oral arguments at Augustana during a community program to which Augustana's campus community is especially invited. Two proceedings, one civil and one criminal, will be heard by panels of Illinois Appellate Court judges, as appellants and appellees each make 15-minute presentations followed by a rebuttal from the appellant. Augustana College sits in Illinois' Third Judicial District, in which cases are usually heard in Ottawa, Ill.
November 18
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From Antiquity to Modernity: How does exploring the past deepen our understanding of the human condition?"
One way to answer such a big question is to take a quick, enlightening tour through the history of civilization. Your tour guides will be members of Augustana's faculty who will help us frame the question by presenting ideas, issues, music, and artistic images from the ancient, medieval, Renaissance, and modern periods. (See story)
December 9
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| Chad Pregracke |
Making a Difference: Helping to Clean America’s Rivers
Chad Pregracke grew up near Hampton, Ill., on the Mississippi River. His experiences led to his vision to clean up the Mississippi and his organization, Living Lands and Waters. During his talk, he will take the audience out on one of the world's greatest rivers -- a journey filled with endless challenges and gripping adventures. His tale embodies the importance of setting goals (one river and one piece of garbage at a time) and illustrates how determination, hard work and persistence pay off.
Pregracke has been the recipient of more than 40 awards, including the Jefferson Award for Public Service presented to him in June 2002 in the United States Supreme Court in Washington, DC. He accepted that award along with Rudolph Giuliani, Bill and Melinda Gates, and Lilly Tartikoff.
His projects have been filmed by many of the major networks such as CNN, Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning Show, NBC Nightly News, MTV, PBS, and the list goes on and on. Time, People Magazine, Readers' Digest, Life, Outside, Smithsonian, and National Geographic are among the numerous publications in which Chad has been featured.
December 16
Christmas Convocation
The President's Office invites the entire college community to come together for the annual celebration of music and poetry before Christmas recess. Holiday attire is encouraged.
January 13
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| Dr. Peter Ochs |
"Reading Scripture together with Jews, Muslims, and Christians."
Dr. Peter Ochs is one of the founders of Scriptural Reasoning, an approach to reading the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Qu'ran side-by-side at places where they deal with common themes.
The purpose of Spiritual Reasoning is to, "offer a way of practicing peace at a time of inter-religious tension and conflict."
Dr. Ochs, Professor of Modern Judaic Studies at the University of Virginia, will be joined at convocation by Imam Saad Baig, Islamic Center of the Quad Cities, Moline, Rabbi Tamar Grimm, Tri-City Jewish Center, Rock Island, and Rev. Richard Priggie, Augustana Campus Ministry in a demonstration of Scriptural Reasoning.
January 27
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| Fumiko & Richard Halloran |
"East is East and West is West: Will the Twain never meet?"
To help celebrate International Studies Week, Wilson Scholars Richard and Fumiko Mori Halloran share their unique experiences as journalist and writers in exploring U.S. relationships with China and Japan.
Richard Halloran, longtime journalist for the New York Times and Honolulu Advertiser, now works as a freelance writer, contributing explanatory, analytical articles on Asia and U.S. relations with Asia. His expertise is in areas of security and he regularly contributes to publications in America and Asia.
Fumiko Mori Halloran is a former political analyst in both Washington and Toyko and has published numerous books and articles exploring international relations between East and West. The Hallorans will help us explore several ideas, among them is the idea that students should look beyond the headlines into the context of events.
February 3
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American Shakespeare Center Workshop
The American Shakespeare Center will be presenting As You Like It on the evening of Feb 3 in Centennial Hall. During convocation, the actors focus on the actions and words most ridiculous in love. Through examination of the text of As You Like It, the company explores gender ideals and stereotypes, pastoral and city life, and the foolish and fantastic choices we make when we fall in love.
The troupe recognizes they are not alone in the theatre, and actively shatter the "fourth wall" between the actors and audience. This inclusive arrangement allows the ASC on Tour to recreate the festive sense of community found in Shakespeare's Blackfriars Playhouse.
March 10
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| Jeanie Knigin |
Jeanie Knigin: A World of Opportunity
Jeanie Knigin, senior investment management specialist for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, will discuss the risks and benefits of global investing. She will look at developed vs. emerging markets, the currency equation and the benefits of international diversification.
With more than 30 years in the financial services industry, Knigin’s educational background includes an economics degree from the College of William & Mary and an MBA in finance and investments from George Washington University. She is a certified financial planner and chartered retirement planning counselor.
Knigin will be on campus for several days as a Woodrow Wilson scholar.
March 17
Matt Davis: CSI and Anthropology: What Do They Have in Common?
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| Matt Davis |
The presentation will explore how a liberal arts education prepares students to meet the challenges present in various professional fields with particular focus on forensic science and criminal justice. The criminal justice system’s emphasis on science and technology demands criminal investigators, attorneys, and even jurors evaluate information which likely falls outside their formal education and training.
At the same time popular culture informs, and in some cases misinforms, perceptions about forensic science and criminal justice. To address these challenges, responsible citizens must be capable of critical thought and various perspectives.
Matthew Davis is in his 13th year of service as a police officer. He has worked in patrol, investigative, and supervisory capacities. He also is an expert witness in forensic anthropology and an attorney licensed to practice law in Illinois. Davis earned bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and history from the University of Delaware, a master’s degree in anthropology from Northern Illinois University, and his juris doctor from Saint Louis University School of Law.
March 31
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| Morris Dees |
Morris Dees: With Justice for All
In 1994, Morris Dees warned the U.S. attorney general that radical militias were planning domestic terrorist strikes. Six months later, the Oklahoma City Bombing was tied to one such group.
As founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center, Dees uses the law in his battle against prejudice and hatred. In the 1980s and 90s, he worked against the KKK and neo-Nazi groups with a series of historic lawsuits. Today, Dees focuses his attention on anti-government militias. In his expose, Gathering Storm: America's Militia Threat, Dees explains the dangers these groups represent. He is also author of A Lawyer's Journey, an autobiography, and Hate on Trial: The Case Against America's Most Dangerous Neo-Nazi. Dees also was the The subject of the television movie Line of Fire and portrayed in the feature film Ghosts of the Mississippi.
His appearance is sponsored by the Office of Student Activities in conjunction with the White Privilege Summit
April 7
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| Erin McKean |
Erin McKean: Is Everything You Know About the Dictionary Wrong?
There's a lot more to the dictionary than alphabetical order, and a lot less than most people think. We'll explode commonly-held misconceptions about "the dictionary" (how they're made, why they're made, and how and why to use one) and talk about how the best information about the English language is often all around us.
Erin McKean likes to call herself a "dictionary evangelist." She is the CEO of the new online dictionary Wordnik. She was the editor in chief of the New Oxford American Dictionary, 2e, and is the author of Weird and Wonderful Words, More Weird and Wonderful Words, Totally Weird and Wonderful Words, and That’s Amore (also about words). Her first novel, The Secret Lives of Dresses, was published by GrandCentral/5Spot in February 2011. She recently moved from Chicago to the Bay Area, rants about dresses on her blog (A Dress A Day), and she’s actually really bad at Scrabble (but surprisingly good at roller-skating).
April 21
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| Gary Nabhan |
Gary Paul Nabhan: Food Diversity, Food Security and Climate Change
Gary Paul Nabhan is a nature writer, seed saver, conservation biologist and sustainable agriculture activist who has been called “the father of the local food movement” by Mother Earth News. He also is an orchard-keeper, wild forager and Ecumenical Franciscan brother in his hometown of Patagonia, Arizona, near the Mexican border.
He is the author or editor of 24 books and will be focusing his talk on his latest book, Food Diversity, Food Security and Climate Change. For his writing and collaborative conservation work, he has been honored with many awards, including a MacArthur “genius” award. He works as most of the year as a research scientist at the Southwest Center of the University of Arizona, and the rest as co-founder-facilitator of several food and farming alliances, including Renewing America’s Food Traditions and Flavors Without Borders.
