Convocation Lecture Series 2022-2023
Franklin College tradition includes hosting an annual Convocation Lecture Series that promotes the ideals of the institution. The college upholds a common set of values that enhances the community and sustains personal, spiritual and professional growth for a lifetime. The college values people of integrity, a commitment to inclusivity, a culture of intellectual curiosity, the drive for innovation and creativity and the spirit of community.
Scroll down to learn more about each of the four lectures and registration for each.
Constitution Day Celebration
“Why Free Speech Matters, And Why In 2022 I Have to Explain It Matters”
Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, 7 p.m., Branigin Room, Napolitan Student Center
Register for the event or Join the event virtually
Guest Speaker: Nadine Strossen, J.D.
New York Law School Professor Emerita Nadine Strossen, J.D., past President of the American Civil Liberties Union (1991-2008), is a frequent speaker/media commentator on constitutional law and civil liberties, who has testified before Congress on multiple occasions, and who authored HATE: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship (2018).
In celebration of Constitution Day, Strossen will kick off the college’s 2022-2023 Convocation Lecture Series. The event will be a community conversation with Nadine Strossen moderated by John Krull ’81, director of Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism. Strossen will talk about free speech and why it matters.
This event is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending are asked to register here. For more information, contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.
Spirit & Place Festival Event
“The Rhythm of Us: Interfaith Understanding Through the Art of Music”
Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022, 7 p.m., Branigin Room, Napolitan Student Center
Music is an especially powerful way to express identity in a pluralistic world. Musicians performing across faith traditions and genres will engage participants in a broader conversation about how we convey who we are, as individuals and as groups, through singing, chanting and instrumental performances.
More information and event registration can be found at FranklinCollege.edu/interfaitharts.
This lecture is generously underwritten by the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation and the Franklin Symphonic Council.
Nyle Fort, Ph.D.
“Where Do We Go from Here? Dr. King’s Legacy and the Crisis of American Democracy”
Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, 4 p.m., Richardson Chapel
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration
Nyle Fort is a minister, scholar and social justice activist committed to transformative justice. His lecture will highlight the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in light of the crises we face today as a nation and global community. Fort will discuss the urgent need for students, educators and community members to fight for justice as issues of racism, police brutality, economic inequality, xenophobia, climate change and more threaten our social fabric. 
Most importantly, his lecture will help us think about what we can do individually and collectively to create the world we all deserve.
This event is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending are asked to register here or use the QR code to the right. For more information, contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.
Pam Fessler
“Fighting for Justice, From Leprosy to the Balot Box”
Thursday, March 2, 2023, 7 p.m., Branigin Room, Napolitan Student Center
Pam Fessler is a former correspondent for NPR News, where she covered voting and civic engagement for more than 20 years. She is also author of “Carville’s Cure: Leprosy, Stigma and the Fight for Justice,” which tells the story of the only leprosy colony run by the U.S. government and her own family’s tragic involvement. Fessler recounts how leprosy patients were torn from their families, confined against their will and abandoned by society, but also how they eventually fought to regain their freedom and rights, including the right to vote.
The patients’ crusade show the power of individual perseverance and the importance of the vote in helping to shape our lives — an example that is just as relevant today as Americans work to protect democracy from erosion.
This event is free and open to the public. Those interested in attending are asked to register here or use the QR code to the right. For more information, contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.
NOTE: Franklin College continues to monitor the incidence of COVID-19. We follow guidance from our local healthcare partners and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding large gatherings, which could impact these events. Please visit this website for any additional updates.