College & Theater Events

<p>Considered the greatest chess player that ever lived, Russian world champion Garry Kasparov shares insights on strategy, innovation, leadership, and risk. </p><p>Garry Kasparov is widely regarded as the greatest chess player in history, becoming the youngest world champion ever at 22 in 1985 and spending twenty years as the world’s top-rated player.

<p>Dr. Grandin is a designer of livestock handling facilities and a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Facilities she has designed are located in the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. In North America, almost half of the cattle are handled in a center track restrainer system that she designed for meat plants.

<p>Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum is the author of the New York Times best-selling book, <em>Why Are All the</em></p><p><em>Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?</em> and Other Conversations About Race as well as Can</p><p>We Talk About Race? and Other Conversations in an Era of School Resegregation.

<p>Selected by the Obama Foundation as a 2025–26 USA Leader, Halim Flowers draws on his 22-year journey of wrongful incarceration and powerful transformation to inspire audiences to rise above obstacles and discover their true purpose.</p><p> In 1997, Halim Flowers was arrested at the age of 16 and given two life sentences. His experiences were filmed in the Emmy Award-winning documentary <em>Thug Life in DC</em>. During his incarceration, Halim discovered a love for literature and the arts, and began writing, painting, and freestyle-rapping.

<p>Celebrated TV personality, radio host, and longtime newspaper columnist Michael Smerconish provides a refreshingly independent and balanced perspective to the world of political commentary and current affairs. </p><p>Michael Smerconish is on a mission to restore civility and compromise to our public discourse. For three decades he’s had a front-row seat to the increase in polarization that has gripped the nation.

<p>As a passionate leader in the global fight against inequity, injustice, hate crimes, and all forms of pain Arndrea Waters King has worked tirelessly on behalf of those who have been marginalized by helping them find — and collectively use — their voices for change.</p><p>Early in her career, Arndrea had the unique opportunity to be mentored by Dr. C.T. Vivian, a lieutenant of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

<p>Sharing his remarkable story of battling addiction and depression through finding his purpose, Justin “The Big Pygmy” Wren helps audiences overcome challenges, improve performance, and create lasting impact—in business and in life.</p>

<p>Sharing insights from her incredible career, Kerri Walsh Jennings inspires audiences to unlock their potential and conquer any challenges standing in their way. </p><p>Kerri Walsh Jennings is a 5 time Olympian, 3 time Olympic gold medalist, 1 time bronze medalist in beach volleyball. She was a 4 time 1st Team All-American at Stanford University where her teams won 2 National Championships (‘96, ‘97) and finished runner-up in ‘99.

<p>Alison Mariella Désir is the author of the best-selling book, <em>Running While Black</em>, and the tv host and producer of the award winning show,<em> Out & Back w/ Alison Mariella Désir </em>on PBS.</p><p>Alison is known as a thought leader, a community builder, and a culture shifter and has been named one of the most influential African Americans, aged 25 to 45, by <em>The Root 100</em>. Over the past decade, Alison has founded several organizations at the intersection of movement, mental health and racial justice. Alison holds

<p>A political communications expert who served in the White House and Congress, Ari Fleischer provides an in-depth look at the Biden Administration, the 2024 elections, foreign policy, and the failures of the mainstream media. </p><p>As former White House press secretary, Ari Fleischer was the primary spokesperson for President George W. Bush and delivered the daily White House press briefings from 2001 to 2003.