Students initiate lecture series

A new, student-led and initiated venture called the Student Lecture Series (SLS) is hoping to bring to campus nationally known speakers such as civil rights activist Coretta Scott King and historian Howard Zinn.

The series could begin this semester with local speakers.

"The idea actually originated with two groups of students. Some of them were on SGA so we pulled together both groups and made it an SGA-assisted event," said Kevin Docherty, one of the students who helped to initiate the Series.

The group's goal is to bring well-known speakers to campus once a semester who will "enhance the intellectual climate" of EMU, according to a proposal submitted to SGA. The students involved have formed a committee, chaired by junior Sharon Kniss. The other members are "comprised of six SGA senators and a handful of other students including one from the seminary," said Docherty. The committee has tried to "pull together a diverse cross-section of the student body and people who have a strong interest in the idea."

The SLS is so named because it is student-led and student-organized; the speakers they hope to attract will not be students themselves.

In addition to King and Zinn, other potential speakers include persons like Mennonite Education Association Chairman Carlos Romero. "We're working on getting some speakers with national visibility," said Kniss.

Docherty hopes the style of the Series' events will be similar to the teach-ins at EMU after Sept. 11. "And it would be awesome if we could pull together that kind of attendance," he said.

"The lecture series will also provide a common experience for students, and will foster community discussions and dialogue about local, regional, national, and global issues," said junior Mike Kniss, one of the committee members.

Because of fund-raising time constraints, bigger-name speakers like Zinn will likely not be on campus until the fall of this year, but three local speakers are lined up for this semester: history professors Mary Sprunger and Mark Sawin, and economics professor Deb Fitzgerald.

"The idea is to get more local speakers this semester, to jump-start the series so we can get the name out there and we can get some publicity and increase awareness for the purpose of fundraising," said Sharon Kniss.

The committee members are enthusiastic about the SLS. "Hopefully, the SLS will be a long-term deal, well beyond the time that [those currently working on the Series] are here," said Docherty.