Distinguished Speaker Series
Compelling speakers are sponsored by the George E. McCammon Memorial Distinguished Speaker Series.
The George E. McCammon Memorial Distinguished Speaker Series challenges students to
examine key issues facing our society and apply the tools of their liberal arts curriculum
as they search for truth and enlightenment.
In 1998, Class of 1925 alumnus George A. McCammon established the George E. McCammon
Memorial Distinguished Speaker Series at McKendree with an endowed gift in honor of
his father, Dr. George E. McCammon. Dr. McCammon served as a Methodist minister for
18 years before he became president of McKendree College in 1919.
Like his father, Mr. McCammon believed that significant learning is not limited to
the classroom. With this gift to McKendree in his father’s honor, he created a forum
for the exchange of ideas that occurs outside the classroom.
Distinguished Speaker: Rudy Ruettiger
Tuesday, September 30 // 7:00 p.m.
From underdog to legend, Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger’s story captured hearts worldwide. The inspiration behind the blockbuster film RUDY, he’s the first player ever carried off Notre Dame’s field on the shoulders of his teammates. Now an Emmy-winning speaker, Rudy shares his powerful message of perseverance and hope—“Never Quit. Yes, I Can.” Experience the real man behind the movie who continues to inspire audiences everywhere to dream big and defy the odds.
FRIENDS: $20.00 Adult / $16.00 Senior / $12.00 Youth
PUBLIC: $25.00 Adult / $20.00 Senior / $15.00 Youth
FREE for McKendree University Students, Faculty, and Staff
Distinguished Speaker: Dr. Rebekah Taussig
Tuesday, April 14 // 7:00 p.m.
A storyteller at heart with a great sense of humor, Dr. Rebekah Taussig has held talks and workshops at the University of Michigan, Davidson College and Yale University on disability representation, identity and community, and her writing appears in publications from TIME to Refinery29. She’s been a guest on a myriad of podcasts and also runs the Instagram platform @sitting_pretty, where she crafts “mini-memoirs” for her more than50,000 followers to contribute nuance to the collective narratives being told about disability in our culture. Taussig is the recipient of the Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award in Literary Nonfiction for Sitting Pretty.
FRIENDS: $20.00 Adult / $16.00 Senior / $12.00 Youth
PUBLIC: $25.00 Adult / $20.00 Senior / $15.00 Youth
FREE for McKendree University Students, Faculty, and Staff
