Tallgrass Prairie & the Power of Perenniality “Perenniality” isn’t a real word. (Yet.) But, it’s a good way to describe the worldview that Kelly Yarbrough has found embedded in the Kansas tallgrass prairie. The tallgrass prairie is arguably the most endangered ecosystem on the planet. But besides being ecologically threatened, Kelly Yarbrough thinks that the prairie is also… [Read More]
Ting Lan Sun ’87
Bound Feet and the American Dream: A Lesson Through Perception, Value and Courage Newly arrived in the U.S., 5-year-old Ting Lan Sun sat in the back of her American kindergarten class unable to understand a word of English. With no special language programs available, she didn’t learn how to read until the third grade. Only two years later,… [Read More]
Ann Crews Melton ’03
Building Consensus Across Differences Our society is fractured, and shouting often supersedes listening at public events. In a diverse, multipartisan society, how can we begin to solve community problems? Ann Crews Melton describes how to build consensus, a decision-making process that ensures no voices are left out. What she’s discovered may surprise you: the best way to… [Read More]
Laura J. Lawson ’10
Time and Space: Arts’ Most Valuable Resources As an artist, Laura J. Lawson has learned that time and space are the two most valuable resources for creatives. She believes in the importance of allowing yourself to have unstructured time to think, to play, to seek inspiration, and to let thoughts come together—the “invisible” time that goes into making works… [Read More]
Kate Kahle ’23
Behind the Mask: Autism for Women and Girls As a woman with autism, Kate will talk about the gender discrepancy in autism diagnoses. Women and girls often display completely different behaviors than what neurotypical people have been taught to associate with autism, which affects when and how (and if) they are diagnosed. Autism being diagnosed… [Read More]
Mariam Abeje ’22
Two Languages, Two Personalities? Mariam Abeje grew up immersed in two languages and cultures, living in the United States and Ethiopia and speaking both English and Amharic. She has observed that as she uses both languages, it is not just the way she speaks that changes, but that her whole personality feels different. What’s more,… [Read More]
David Whelan, PhD
Our Lone Star Understanding the Vastness of Space Dr. David Whelan loves contemplating the mysteries of space – mysterious even to him, a professional astronomer and physics professor! In this talk, David will give us some useful comparisons for how small our planet is in the context of our solar system and galaxy, and why our… [Read More]
Tim Crossley ’20
Get your head in the game: let fear be your fuel How to conquer your fears – a lesson from the football field. Tim Crossley believes it is fear – fear of the unknown, and fear of failure – that prevents people from achieving their dreams. For Tim, there is no greater teacher than his time… [Read More]
Brittnay Connor ’14
The truth about “these kids” and “those teachers.” An insider’s look at the challenges in public education system Brittnay Connor will tell us the truth about “these kids” and “those teachers” we are always hearing out in the media. The truth is that kids and teachers in even the most difficult circumstances are resilient, innovative, and… [Read More]
Mack Bolen ’21
Why Concussions Have Been Great for Sports A new take on concussions and the impact they have had on sports. Mack Bolen is no stranger to traumatic brain injury, having experienced a series of concussions that left her having to relearn how to walk and read. Now a student of neuroscience, Mack will help us understand… [Read More]