College & Theater Events

<p>Author of <em>On A Move </em>and Star of HBO documentary <em>40 Years A Prisoner,</em> Mike was born in a jail cell and freed his innocent parents from 40 years of incarceration. He pushes his revolutionary message with his dynamic stage performances mixing music with speeches.</p><p>Mike is the son of 2 political prisoners who were sentenced to 100 years in prison. Mike was secretly born in a Philadelphia prison following a police raid on his family’s home.

<p>Lual Mayen is the founder of Junub Games. He has a rich story from growing up as a refugee to becoming a game developer. </p><p>For 22 of his 24 years of life, Mayen lived in a refugee camp in northern Uganda. A few years back, Mayen saw a laptop computer at a registration station for the refugee camp. He told his mother he wanted one. She saved money for three years to get the $300 to buy it for him. He discovered Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and the joy of playing at an internet cafe.

<p>As the first openly LGBTQ+ professional to play in the NFL, R.K. Russell articulates how truth is essential to not only survive but to thrive.</p><p>In addition to being a professional football player in the NFL, he is also a published poet, writer, and artist. R.K. dedicated his life to football. He learned the responsibility and hard work it took to become a Big Ten Starter, an All-Conference player, and a reliable teammate. Off the field, he began to take his studies more seriously, write long-form creative pieces, and discover his sexuality. R.K.

<p>As a social activist, Monica Lewinsky’s passion is to advocate for a safer social media environment. As a public speaker, writer, producer and contributor to Vanity Fair she addresses such topics as survival, resilience, digital reputation and equality.  </p><p>Lewinsky became known to the public in 1998, when it was revealed as part of a federal investigation that she had had an intimate relationship with then President Bill Clinton.

<p>From DJing sets worldwide to captivating the hearts of “Thronies” across nations, Kristian Nairn has made a name for himself. Better known as ‘Hodor’ from HBO’s Game of Thrones, this multitalented self-starter is an international sensation. </p>

<p>LaTosha is a contributor to <i>The New York Times</i> op-ed page and a Senior Practice Fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. As co-founder of the Black Voters Matter Fund organization, LaTosha is dedicated to increasing the political power of Black people.</p><p>The Black Voters Matter Fund was credited with energizing and turning out voters in Alabama’s Black Belt and playing a decisive role in Doug Jones’ election to the U.S.

<p>This renowned author and psychologist reveals how imagination, inspiration, and stories from both popular culture and real life can promote heroism in everything we do.</p><p>Dr.

<p>Ronny Chieng is a Chinese stand-up comedian and actor born in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, raised in Manchester, NH, USA, and Singapore, who graduated from the University of Melbourne in Australia in 2009 with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce.</p><p>Ronny started performing comedy in Melbourne in 2009. Since then, he has toured 4 sold out global stand-up comedy theater tours in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, Canada and London.

<p>Award-winning financial journalist, behavior expert and author, Stacey Tisdale, discusses the new realities of the post Covid-19 economy helping audiences navigate the financial and psychological challenges that so many are facing, due to factors such as job and income loss, loss of healthcare coverage, financial stress, and the gender and racial inequalities the virus is amplifying. </p><p>When she was a journalist with Wall Street Journal Television, Stacey became one of the first women—and the first African American—to report from the New York Stock Exchange.

<p><span style="color: rgb(62, 62, 60);">The Second City&#39;s comedians create a slice-of-life environment, lampooning the political, social, and cultural aspects of our lives.</span></p><p>For over 50 years, The Second City has been the training ground for a host of famous alumni including John Belushi, Mike Myers, Gilda Radner, Tina Fey, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and countless stars of stage and screen.