Distinguished Speaker Series
Dynamic events. Fascinating people. Captivating stories.
Compelling speakers from National Geographic Live 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.
Kenny Broad, Cave Diver: Exploring the Bahamas' Blue Holes
Monday, October 14, 2019, @ 7:30 p.m.
Kenny Broad, National Geographic’s Explorer of the Year for 2011, is also an accomplished cave
explorer. He pursues this extreme and dangerous occupation not for sport, but to gain
valuable insights into the freshwater world beneath our feet. A witty and entertaining
speaker and committed scientist, Broad uses his research to study climate change and
groundwater pollution to help better manage freshwater resources.
Largely unexplored, unimaginably beautiful, and considered among the most hazardous
places to dive, the flooded caves, or “blue holes” of the Bahamas, are a potential
treasure trove of scientific knowledge. Broad leads scientific expeditions to these
dangerous but fascinating environments, making discoveries with implications for fields
as diverse as microbiology, archaeology, and even astrophysics.
$20 adult, $20 senior, $10 student/child, McKendree University students FREE
Brian Skerry, Underwater Photographer: Ocean Soul
Wednesday, February 26, 2020, @ 7:30 p.m.
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National Geographic Photography Fellow
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Regular contributor at the World Economic Forum, TED, and the Royal Geographical Society in London
Wildlife photographer Brian Skerry has spent more than four decades exploring the world’s oceans—capturing “the soul
of the sea” for National Geographic for more than 20 years. His images celebrate the
mystery of the depths and offer portraits of creatures so intimate they sometimes
appear to have been shot in a studio. Skerry dives eight months of the year, often
in extreme conditions beneath Arctic ice or in predator-infested waters, and has even
lived at the bottom of the sea to get close to his subjects.
His book, Ocean Soul, is a stunning tribute to our seas. Go beyond its pages to journey
with him from the glacial waters of the North Atlantic, where harp seals face the
threat of declining sea ice, to the balmy waters of Australia, home of the fastest
shark in the world—the mako. He’ll share a fascinating look at some of the oceans’
apex predators, as well as stories of hope from marine reserves where wildlife is
protected and thriving. A passionate spokesman for the oceans he loves to photograph,
Skerry inspires reverence for the marine realm and powerful motivation to protect
it.
$20 adult, $20 senior, $10 student/child, McKendree University students FREE
In 2020, McKendree University will celebrate 50 years of hosting Model United Nations
conferences for local high school students. Model UN educates students about diplomacy,
global policy, international issues, debate, and public speaking. Students take on
the role of diplomats, representing nations from across the world and participating
in simulated UN committee sessions. In honor of the University’s 50-year affiliation
with Model UN, the Hett is proud to present a United Nations International Children’s
Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Ambassador as part of the 2019-2020 Distinguished Speaker
Series.
Ishmael Beah, Human Rights Activist and Writer
Wednesday, April 15, 2020, @ 7:30 p.m.
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UNICEF Ambassador and Advocate for Children Affected by War
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Human Rights Watch Children’s Advisory Committee member
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Author of A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier; and Radiance of Tomorrow
Ishmael Beah wants to put a human face on the suffering of children forced to go to war. In 1991,
at the outbreak of a brutal civil war in Sierra Leone, West Africa, his parents and
two brothers were killed and he was forcibly recruited to become a soldier at age
13. After two years, with UNICEF help, he was removed from the army and placed in
a rehabilitation home.
At the 1996 United Nations presentation of the Machel Report on the Impact of Armed
Conflict on Children, Beah spoke about the devastating effects of war on children
in his country. At the 2000 UN Special Session on Children, he served on the panel,
“Reclaiming Our Children: The UN Responds to the Plight of the Child Soldier,” with
then-Secretary General Kofi Annan and UN agency officials. Today, as a human rights
activist and author, he continues his advocacy for thousands of children trapped in
wars.
McKendree University hosts an on-campus Model United Nations conference for local
high schools. Currently 15 schools and over 300 students attend this conference each
semester. McKendree has hosted this conference for over 40 years - it is one of the
longest-running Model UN conferences in the country!
$10 adult, $10 senior, $5 student/child, McKendree University students FREE
Additional Links
Student Performances
McKendree Department of Music
McKendree Department of Theater
