The Department of History and American Studies at the University of Mary Washington will continue the Centennial Edition of the “Chappell Lecture Series: Great Lives” on selected Tuesdays and Thursdays through the end of April.
The program examines the lives of intriguing figures throughout history. In celebration of the university’s 100th anniversary, the series is focusing on compelling people who lived between 1908 and 2008. The lectures will be held at 7:30 p.m. in George Washington Hall, Dodd Auditorium, and are open to the public free of charge.
Speakers featured in April include Darden Asbury Pyron, professor of history at Florida International University; Michael Duffy, political reporter; Gardner Campbell, professor of English at UMW; Philip Nel, associate professor of English at Kansas State University; William Nack, award-winning journalist; Stephen Farnsworth, associate professor of political science at UMW; and Sally Bedell Smith, best-selling biographer.
On Tuesday, April 1, Darden Pyron will give a lecture on “Margaret Mitchell.” Pyron is the author of “Southern Daughter: The Life of Margaret Mitchell.” He received a doctorate from the University of Virginia.
The series will continue on Thursday, April 3, with Michael Duffy’s lecture on “Billy Graham.” Duffy is the co-author of “The Preacher and the Presidents” and is a two-time recipient of the Gerald R. Ford award for distinguished reporting. He served as Washington bureau chief for TIME magazine from 1997 to 2005 and currently is a regular on the PBS network’s “Washington Week with Gwen Ifill.” Duffy earned a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College.
On Tuesday, April 8, Gardner Campbell will give a lecture on “The Beatles.” Campbell teaches courses on literature and new media at UMW and film studies, popular music and computers in higher education are among his areas of expertise. He has presented scholarly papers at national and international conferences, and he is a member of the Milton Society of America and Phi Beta Kappa. Campbell received a master’s degree and a doctorate from the University of Virginia.
On Tuesday, April 15, Philip Nel will give a lecture on “Dr. Seuss.” Nel is the author of “Dr. Seuss: American Icon” and is director of the Program in Children’s Literature at Kansas State. His scholarly articles have been published in numerous journals and presented at national and international conferences. Nel, who received a master’s degree and doctorate from Vanderbilt University, is a member of the Modern Language Association and the Children’s Literature Association.
The lecture series will continue on Thursday, April 17, with William Nack’s presentation on “Babe Ruth.” Nack, who retired from Sports Illustrated after nearly 23 years as a senior writer, is the author of “Secretariat,” named by the magazine as one of the top 50 sports books of all time. He currently is a free-lance writer for GQ and Sports Illustrated. After graduating from the University of Illinois, Nack served with the U.S. Army in Vietnam.
On Tuesday, April 22, Stephen Farnsworth will give a lecture on “Richard M. Nixon.” Farnsworth is the author or co-author of three books, including “The Nightly News Nightmare: Television’s Coverage of U.S. Presidential Elections, 1988-2004.” He has won three UMW teaching awards and has lectured on the news media and politics internationally. Farnsworth earned a master’s degree and doctorate from Georgetown University.
Sally Bedell Smith will present the final lecture of the series, “Bill and Hillary Clinton,” on Thursday, April 24. Smith is the author of several best-selling biographies, including “For Love of Politics: Bill and Hillary Clinton” and “Diana: In Search of Herself.” Currently a contributing editor at Vanity Fair, she previously worked at TIME magazine and The New York Times. She has appeared on several television programs, including “The Today Show,” “Meet the Press” and “Hannity and Colmes.
For more information or for a complete listing of the lectures, contact the Office of University Relations at (540) 654-1055 or visit www.umw.edu/greatlives.