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Rabbi Harold Kushner Centennial |
The
Distinguished Speakers Series
continues a long tradition of exposing OCU students to the great minds of
our time. Newcomers may not be aware of OCU's close connection with
MIT in the 1960s. Out of that collaboration grew a program called
"The Great Plan" that had as one of its goals "to give the...students the
benefit of direct association with scholars of national reputation." When the Mid-Year Institute started in 1966, each year until the mid 1980s the Institute selected a theme for the year and then invited several national speakers to offer their various views on the topic for the students. By the mid 1980s, the university was concentrating on local speakers because of the lack of funding. This did not achieve the implicit goal of exposing students to the best scholarly minds, and in the mid 1990s it was determined that the Mid-Year Institute should be replaced by a more effective program. The Distinguished Speakers Series again brings out students in contact with renowned thinkers.
Judy Collins
appeared on the Oklahoma City University campus on March 28, 2006
presenting a lecture
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"On October 4 (2004) I attended a lecture at Oklahoma City University by Brian Greene, a noted physicist, after seeing an article in The Oklahoman. The lecture was great, but what really impressed me is that OCU students provide this Distinguished Speakers Series as a public service at no charge. According to the university, the series is funded primarily through student fees with occasional contributions by interested outside parties. They think of it as a 'gift to the community.' The list of past speakers was interesting and wide ranging. I only wish I had learned of this series sooner." Ken Jones "Recently, to help celebrate OCU's centennial, the series went above and beyond by offering lectures by Nobel Peace Laureates Bishop Desmond Tutu and Elie Wiesel. ' We won't always be able to have such world-renowned speakers as we did this year,' said Winn [Harbour Winn co-chairs the Distinguished Speakers Series Committee], ' But we will continue to stretch the walls of our university, to promote intellectual curiosity and let students know that learning isn't just inside the school.' " Jim Chastain II, Oklahoma Gazette, June 15, 2005
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.jpg) Archbishop Tutu  Elie Wiesel
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