TOPIC: Our Birds SPEAKER: Dr. Steve Coggin, Emeritus Professor of Biology, Catawba College Mecklenburg County is home to more than 300 species of birds but we share many of these birds with other people far from here. This presentation will explore the phenomenon of bird watching and birds that are in our yards, parks and…
TOPIC: Higher Education and the Public Good SPEAKER: Christopher Marsicano, Davidson College Higher education institutions face a series of significant challenges. With the advent of artificial intelligence, rising tuition prices, shifting job markets, political polarization, and growing skepticism, higher education is facing a deep crisis of purpose. Yet beyond granting degrees, colleges and universities fuel…
TOPIC: The State of the River SPEAKER: Brandon Jones, Riverkeeper, Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation The Catawba River is the lifeblood of our region, providing drinking water, electricity, agricultural irrigation, and recreation. Riverkeeper Brandon Jones discusses the greatest threats to this critical resource and the opportunities for protecting it. BIOGRAPHY Jones received his M.S. in Earth…
TOPIC: Learning from the Past to Lead Better in the Future SPEAKER: Pat McCrory, Former NC Governor and Charlotte Mayor Leadership examples on major decisions made in Charlotte and NC. BIOGRAPHY Mayor of Charlotte: 1995-2009 Governor of NC: 2013-2017 NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom…
TOPIC: Voices of Revolutionary War Teenagers SPEAKER: Dr. Tony Zeiss, President Emeritus, CPCC and Founding Executive Director of the Museum of the Bible This presentation is an informative and inspiring experience with the contribution of young people in the Revolutionary War. BIOGRAPHY President, Pueblo Community College, Pueblo, Colorado 1985-92. President, Central Piedmont Community college, 1992-2017.…
TOPIC: The Holocaust Museum of the Carolinas: Background, Progress, and Vision SPEAKER: Judy LaPietra, Executive Director, The Stan Greenspon Holocaust Education Center This presentation examines the development of the Holocaust Museum of the Carolinas, exploring the historical, educational, and civic vision that has guided its creation. Attendees will gain insight into the museum's origins, its…
TOPIC: Black Women's Lives as an Exemplar of Productive Aging SPEAKER: Kendra Jason, Professor, UNC-Charlotte, Work 4 Change This presentation explores how dominant narratives portraying the lives of older Black women as homogeneous, obstruct the complexity, agency and innovation that characterize their myriad of experiences. The talk reframes productive aging by centering Black women’s epistemologies,…
TOPIC: Bach and Beyond: Four Centuries of Musical Conversation SPEAKER: Garrett Murphy, Executive Director, Bach Charlotte At the heart of Bach Charlotte is the music and enduring influence of Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the towering figures in Western music. His extraordinary imagination, craftsmanship, and expressive power continue to inspire musicians and composers centuries after…