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Notable Speakers

Sounds and Sights

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Honors Day 2013

Professor of Physics Narendra Jaggi, winner of the 2013 Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, gave the remarks at the convocation on April 10, 2013.

Watch his Remarks

Founders' Day 2013

Civil War scholar Allen C. Guelzo spoke at the Founders' Day Convocation on Feb. 27, 2013.

President's Convocation 2012

Rebecca Skloot, author of the 2012 Summer Reading Program selection The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, spoke at the President's Convocation on Sept. 12, 2012.

Commencement 2012

Awadagin Pratt, an educator, concert pianist and founder of the Dr. T.A.E.C. Pratt Music Foundation, delivered the Commencement address on April 29, 2012.

Watch the Ceremony

Founders' Day 2012

Activist and Dead Man Walking author Sister Helen Prejean spoke on Feb. 8, 2012.

President's Convocation 2011

Ghanaian-British-American philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah spoke on Aug. 31, 2011.

Commencement 2011

Guggenheim Fellow and poet Linda Gregerson spoke to graduates on May 1, 2011.

Watch the Address

Founders' Day 2011

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Jorie Graham spoke on Feb. 23, 2011.

President's Convocation 2010

No Impact Man author Colin Beavan spoke on Sept. 8, 2010.

Commencement 2010

Neurosurgeon Ann Stroink '76 celebrated lifelong learning in her address on May 2, 2010.

Listen or
Watch the Address

Honors Convocation 2010

Associate Professor of English Wes Chapman, 2010 winner of the Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, spoke about the place of happiness in the liberal arts during the Honors Convocation on April 14, 2010.

Hear the Address

Founders' Day 2010

Environmental justice activist Dorceta Taylor spoke on Feb. 17, 2010.

President's Convocation 2009

At the President's Convocation on Sept. 9, 2009, humanitarian Greg Mortenson spoke about his mission to promote peace by building schools and training teachers in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Hear excerpts: Clip 1 | Clip 2

Wes Chapman

New Student Convocation 2009

Associate Professor of English Wes Chapman, 2010 winner of the Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence, addressed the New Student Convocation on Aug. 18, 2009.

Hear the Address

Commencement 2009

Howard Fricke '60, retired CEO of Security Benefit Group of Companies, spoke at Commencement on May 3, 2009.

Watch the Address

Founders' Day 2009

Pulitzer Prize-nominated historian James O. Horton gave an address titled "Abraham Lincoln: Slavery and the Civil War" for Illinois Wesleyan University's annual Founders' Day Convocation on February 18, 2009.

Hear the Address

Temple Grandin

President's Convocation 2008

Temple Grandin shared personal insights into the unique ways autistic individuals perceive the world during the President's Convocation on Sept. 10, 2008.

Hear the Address

First-Year Convocation 2008

McFee Professor of Religion and Humanities Brian Hatcher addressed first-year students in their first Illinois Wesleyan convocation on Aug. 19, 2008.

Hear the Address

Kevin Dunn

Commencement 2008

Actor Kevin Dunn, who attended Illinois Wesleyan in the '70s, delivered the Commencement address on May 4, 2008.

Soul Food Dinner

Journalist and author Roland S. Martin spoke at the Soul Food Dinner on Feb. 24, 2008.

Hear the Address

Founders' Day 2008

James E. Hansen, Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Institute for Space Studies, encouraged the 2008 Founders' Day audience to take action before irrevocable damage is done to the planet.

Hear the Address

Stevenson Lecture Series

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns spoke about his recent series on World War II, The War. Burns visited Illinois Wesleyan and Illinois State Universities on Nov. 1, 2007, as part of the Adlai E. Stevenson Lecture Series.

Hear the Address

President's Convocation 2007

Tracy Kidder, author of the 2007 summer reading selection, Mountains Beyond Mountains, addressed the President's Convocation on Sept. 26, 2007

Hear the Address

Commencement 2007

Demetria Kalodimos '81, an award-winning news anchor with WSMV Television in Nashville, Tenn., addressed the graduates on May 6, 2007.

Watch the Address

Honors Convocation 2007

James Sikora, professor of sociology and winner of the 2007 Pantagraph Award for Teaching Excellence, addressed the Honors Convocation on April 18, 2007.

Hear the Convocation

Illinois Wesleyan Associates Luncheon

Orion Samuelson, renowned agribusiness director of WGN and Chicago's "Voice of Agriculture" since 1960, spoke at the Illinois Wesleyan Associates Luncheon on April 17, 2007.

Hear the Program

Commencement 2006

Michael A. Mason '80, Executive Assistant Director for Administration at the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington D.C., delivered the Commencement address on Sunday, April 30.

Watch the Address