The Daily Bulletin Archive

By Tony Astran

Building on the success of the 2008 Leadership Lecture Series, a new lineup of speakers will again bring renowned national and local business leaders, activists, and alumni to campus in support of the college’s mission of preparing students for leadership roles and responsibilities.

Events take place on Tuesdays in E. H. Butler Library 210 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. All are free and open to the public. Each lecture will end with an opportunity for questions from the audience; classes are encouraged to attend.

“The Leadership Lecture Series was a big success last year—students were riveted by each speaker, and at least one entire class was at each event,” said Eileen Merberg, retention and leadership specialist for campus life, who is organizing the series. “The series reflects our belief that leadership abilities develop throughout a lifetime. This year, the importance of diversity will be our underlying theme.”

The first speaker, Teena Fitzroy, an information specialist at Monroe 1 BOCES in Rochester, visits campus on March 3. She has been an advocate for individuals with disabilities for more than 25 years, championing individuals’ rights in both the educational and adult-service systems. Fitzroy is a wife, mother, grandmother, and college-educated professional who has cerebral palsy. She will present “Junk in My Trunk: Learning to Live Successfully with a Disability,” a story about her struggles and triumphs.

Keynote speaker Julian Bond, chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), will speak at 12:15 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall on April 2. Bond is a distinguished professor at American University and a professor of history at the University of Virginia who has served the causes of dignity, peace, and freedom for more than four decades. A former legislator who served in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly for more than 20 years, he is an expert on diversity in the law. His speech to campus, “Civil Rights: In the Day, Today, and Tomorrow,” will discuss the long struggle of African Americans for equality, diversity in the legislative process, and the future of civil rights issues.

The 2009 Leadership Lecture Series is sponsored by Residence Life, Academic and Student Affairs, and the President’s Office. It is funded through an Auxiliary Services Grant, the Faculty-Student Association, and an Equity and Campus Diversity Minigrant.

Updates to the schedule will be provided as soon as possible.

March 3
Teena Fitzroy
Information Specialist, Monroe 1 BOCES

March 10
To be announced

March 17
Tom Calderone, ’86
President, VH1

April 2
Julian Bond
American Civil Rights Leader, Educator, Author
Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall, 12:15–1:30 p.m.

April 7
To be announced

April 14
To be announced