Outside Speakers
Darryl (D.G.) Hart
Darryl (D.G.) Hart is the director of academic programs at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute in Wilmington, Delaware. He was previously the dean of academic affairs and professor of church history at Westminster Theological Seminary in California where he remains an adjunct member of the faculty. Earlier still, he directed the Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals and taught American history at Wheaton College. Dr. Hart is the author of many books, including A Student's Guide to Religious Studies. Hart earned his B.A. from Temple University, M.A.R. from Westminster Theological Seminary, M.T.S. from Harvard University, and both an M.A. and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University.
• Tentative topic: Why the secularization of the university is a good thing, not a bad thing; why robust faiths are better off being excluded from higher educationAnnette Y. Kirk
Annette Y. Kirk is president of the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal and publisher of the cultural quarterly The University Bookman. She is also vice-president of the Wilbur Foundation and director of their residential Fellows Program. Kirk was appointed to the National Commission on Excellence in Education by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, where she published the landmark report, A Nation at Risk. She taught English and Drama in a New York public high school and did graduate work in theater at Queen's College, in literature at St. John's University, and in education at Columbia University. Mrs. Kirk received her Bachelor of Arts degree and an honorary doctor of letters from Molloy College.
• Tentative topic: "A Nation at Risk Revisited" (and Russell Kirk's views on higher education)David M. Lascell
David M. Lascell is a partner at the firm of Harter Secrest & Emery LLP with nearly 40 years of experience as a commercial law and personal injury trial lawyer who has achieved a national reputation in higher education law and also specializes in intellectual property and not-for-profit organizations. Lascell, who serves as vice chair of the Grove City College Board of Trustees, also served as chief counsel for the college before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark 1984 case, Grove City College v. Bell. He has served as counsel to several universities and colleges throughout the nation, has acted as lead counsel for many major corporations, and has appeared in several federal district and circuit courts, and various state courts in addition to the United States Supreme Court. Lascell graduated with a bachelor's degree from Hamilton College in 1963 and completed his law degree at Cornell Law School in 1966.
George Marsden
George Marsden is the Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame, where his primary academic interests have been in the history of the interaction of Christianity and American culture. His major areas of study have concerned American evangelicalism and the role of Christianity in American higher education, with his latest book, Jonathan Edwards: A Life, considered to be the definitive biography of the renowned 18th century theologian. Marsden has taught at Calvin College from 1965 to 1986, Duke University from 1986-1992 and at Notre Dame since 1992. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of California at Berkeley and at St. Andrews University in Scotland. Marsden received his B.A. from Haverford College in 1959, a B.D. from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1963, and an M.A. (1960) and Ph.D. (1965) from Yale University.
• Tentative topic: reflections on the state of Christians in academia 15 years after my book "The Soul of the American University: From Protestant Establishment to Established Nonbelief" (Oxford University Press, 1994)Michael Medved
Michael Medved is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host, best-selling author, and veteran film critic. His daily three-hour broadcast reaches more than 2,500,000 listeners on nearly 200 stations across the country - drawing an audience that consistently ranks his show as one of the top ten political talk shows in the United States. He has been a frequent guest on all the major TV talk shows, including Larry King Live, Nightline, Oprah, David Letterman, Good Morning America and countless others. Medved is a graduate of Yale University and Yale Law School.
• Tentative topic: "The Jewish University"George H. Nash
George H. Nash is an intellectual historian, lecturer, senior fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal, and author of seven books, including what many consider the definitive study of Conservatism in America during the last half-century: The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945. He is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the Historical Society, the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation, the Churchill Centre, and is currently president of the Philadelphia Society, the nation's oldest organization of conservative intellectuals. Nash graduated summa cum laude from Amherst College and received his Ph.D. in history from Harvard University.
• Tentative topic: "God & Man at Yale Revisited"Joseph Pearce
Joseph Pearce is the Writer-in-Residence at Ave Maria University and Associate Professor of Literature. He previously taught at Ave Maria College in Michigan. Mr. Pearce has published numerous books on the great Christian intellectuals including J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Hilaire Belloc, G.K. Chesterton, and Oscar Wilde, to name but a few. Several of his books have won literary awards. He lectures widely around the United States and Europe on many topics and has published several articles. He is the Co-Editor of the St. Austin Review and the Editor-in-Chief of Sapientia Press.
• Tentative paper and lecture topic: G.K. Chesterton's views on Christian educationNaomi Schaefer Riley
Naomi Schaefer Riley is the deputy taste editor of the Wall Street Journal and has received grants from the Templeton Foundation, the Randolph Foundation, the Phillips Foundation, and the John M. Olin Foundation for her book, God on the Quad: How Religious Colleges and the Missionary Generation Are Changing America. Prior to joining the Journal, she was an adjunct fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and is a frequent contributor to the American Enterprise, the Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe, and National Review. Ms. Riley is a graduate of Harvard University, a recipient of the Phillips Foundation Journalism Fellowship, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute Journalism Fellowship, the Claremont Institute Publius Fellowship, and the Charles G. Koch Fellowship.
• Tentative lecture topic: tenure in higher educationWalter E. Williams
Walter E. Williams is the John M. Olin Distinguished Professor of Economics at George Mason University and a nationally syndicated columnist. He has authored over 150 publications in scholarly journals; authored six books, such as America: A Minority Viewpoint and The State Against Blacks, which was later made into the PBS documentary; made scores of radio and television appearances including "Nightline," "Firing Line," "Face the Nation," and "Crossfire,"; and is also an occasional substitute host for the "Rush Limbaugh" show. Williams holds a B.A. in economics from California State University, Los Angeles, and both M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in economics from UCLA. He also holds a Doctor of Humane Letters from Virginia Union University and Grove City College, Doctor of Laws from Washington and Jefferson College and Doctor Honoris Causa en Ciencias Sociales from Universidad Francisco Marroquin, in Guatemala, where he is also Professor Honorario.
• Tentative lecture topic: Teaching Economics at the American UniversityGrove City College Faculty & Administration:
William P. Anderson
William P. Anderson serves as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Grove City College. An accomplished writer and editor, his academic interests include organizational theory and behavior, crime and deviance, sociological theory, research methods and statistics, and urban and social problems. Anderson earned his B.A. from Lambuth College and both his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut.
• Tentative topic: Christian higher education, now and in the future; how to keep a Christian college authentically ChristianDavid J. Ayers
David J. Ayers is assistant dean of the Alva J. Calderwood School of Arts and Letters, chair of the Sociology Department, and associate professor of Sociology at Grove City College. Ayers is also the working group coordinator and a fellow for poverty studies with the Center for Vision & Values. His academic specialties are marriage & family, sociological theory, crime and deviance, and anthropology. Ayers holds a B.A. from Edinboro State University, an M.A. from American University, and received his Ph.D. from New York University.
• Panel discussion: "Academic Biases in Higher Education (Sociology)"Stacy G. Birmingham
Stacy G. Birmingham is dean for the Albert A. Hopeman, Jr., School of Science and Engineering, chair of the Department of Engineering and professor of Mechanical Engineering at Grove City College. Her areas of interest and research activity include pedagogical issues at engineering teaching institutions. Birmingham holds a B.S.C.E., M.S., and Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University.
• Tentative topic: Universities and ScienceJanice B. Brown
Janice B. Brown is a professor of English at Grove City College. She taught high school English for six and a half years over a ten and a half year period at Ukarumpa High School in Papua New Guinea, a school for missionaries' children, operated by Wycliffe Bible Translators, and she was the Sessional Lecturer in English Language and Literature at Memorial University of Newfoundland (1986-1991). Her scholarly interests include: Dorothy L. Sayers, C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, The Inklings, and T. S. Eliot. Brown holds a B.A., M.A., B.Ed., and Ph.D. from the Memorial University of Newfoundland
• Tentative paper and lecture topic: Dorothy SayersMichael L. Coulter
Michael L. Coulter is a professor of humanities and political science at Grove City College and a contributing scholar with the Center for Vision and Values. His academic specialties are American government and political theory. Coulter graduated from Grove City College and holds both an M.A. and a Ph.D. in politics from the University of Dallas.
• Tentative paper topic: "Closing of the American Mind and 'Great Books' Education."James G. Dixon III
James G. Dixon III chairs the Department of English and is a professor of English at Grove City College. He has directed over 30 productions in over 30 years of teaching at Grove City College, and his academic specialties are Shakespeare, drama, literary criticism and theory. Dixon received a B.A. from Wheaton College and both his M.A. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University.
• Tentative topic: C. S. Lewis on education, with a special focus on Abolition of ManJan F. Dudt
Jan F. Dudt is an associate professor of Biology at Grove City College and teaches courses such as "Science Faith and Technology." Dudt holds a B.A. from Covenant College, M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh, and both his M.S. and Ph.D. from Emory University.
• Tentative topic: The politicization of science in higher educationJason R. Edwards
Jason R. Edwards is an assistant professor of education and history at Grove City College and a contributing scholar with the Center for Vision and Values. He received a B.A. in history from Asbury College, his M.A. in history from the University of Kentucky, and his doctorate in history and philosophy of education from the University of Kentucky.
• Tentative topic: "The Morrill Act: What it is and Why it Matters"T. David Gordon
T. David Gordon is a professor of Religion and Greek at Grove City College. His academic specialty is New Testament. Gordon received a B.L.A. from Roanoke College, a M.A.R. and Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D. from Union Theological Seminary.
• Tentative topic: "Technology Hysteria: the Computer-in-the-Classroom Craze of the 1990s"Mark W. Graham
Mark W. Graham is an assistant professor of history at Grove City College. His academic specialty is Late Antiquity, a field which includes the late Roman Empire, early Medieval Europe, the rise of Islam, and the early Byzantine Empire. Graham received his B.A. from Bob Jones University, M.A. from the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. from Michigan State University.
• Tentative paper topic: "Education in the Dark Ages: The Medieval University"-educational reform, movements in the Middle Ages and their relevance to current popular interestsAndrew J. Harvey
Andrew J. Harvey is an associate professor of English at Grove City College. His academic specialty is Medieval and Renaissance English Literature. Harvey received his B.A. from James Madison University, and both his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
• Tentative paper topic: The economic and political effects of Wendell Berry's radical/reactionary emphasis on family and community with a focus on his views of higher educationMark W. Hendrickson
Mark W. Hendrickson is a faculty member, economist, and contributing scholar with the Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College. He received his B.A. from Albion College and both his M.A. and Ph.D. from International University.
• Tentative lecture topic: "Polluting the Truth: Environmentalism and Higher Education"Lois L. Johnson
Lois L. Johnson is the director of the Office of International Education, professor of education, and director of early childhood in the education department at Grove City College. Her academic specialty is early childhood supervision and instruction. Johnson received her B.S.Ed. from Geneva College, M.Ed. from Slippery Rock University, and her Ed.D. from Pennsylvania State University.
• Tentative lecture topic: the influences of the church and religion on higher education in various countries-an international perspectiveSteven L. Jones
Steven L. Jones is an assistant professor of sociology at Grove City College. His academic specialties are political sociology, family/state conflict, and social theory. Jones received his B.A. from Houghton Baptist University, his M.T.S. from Duke University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
• Tentative paper topic: "Higher Education in America: A Bibliographical Essay" on books about the university and literature on higher education in America; broken up into distinct categories (history, philosophy/purpose, liberalism, decline, etc.), with a summation of each topic and a listing of influential books in that fieldPaul C. Kemeny
Paul C. Kemeny is an associate professor of religion and humanities at Grove City College. His academic specialties are history of Christianity and religion and American culture. Kemeny received his B.A. from Wake Forest University, his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Westminster Theological Seminary, a Th.M. from Duke University, and his Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary.
• Tentative topic: Princeton University as a microcosm of elite/Ivy League education; from a self-identifying Christian university to a secular onePaul Kengor
Paul Kengor is the executive director of the Center for Vision & Values and professor of political science at Grove City College. Known for his best-selling books, God and Ronald Reagan, God and George W. Bush, and The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism, Kengor frequently appears as a political commentator on national radio and television. His most recent books are The Judge: William P. Clark, Ronald Reagan's Top Hand, and God and Hillary Clinton. He received his master's degree from American University and his doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.
• Tentative topic: "Anti-Communism and the Academy"Glenn A. Marsch
Glenn A. Marsch is an associate professor of physics at Grove City College. His scholarly interests include the biophysics of carcinogenesis and of pharmacologically important enzymes, spectroscopy, and faith and science issues. Marsch received his B.S. in Physics from Clemson University and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics from Florida State University.
• Tentative topic: "Faith, Freedom, and the Hard Sciences: Challenges and Issues for Christian Scientists in the Modern Academy"Gary Scott Smith
Gary Scott Smith chairs the History Department at Grove City College, is a fellow for Faith and the Presidency with the Center for Vision & Values, and is the author of Faith and the Presidency: From George Washington to George W. Bush. He graduated from Grove City College, received his M.Div. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University, and a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University.
• Tentative paper and lecture topic: "The Mission of the Christian College Today," with a focus on such issues as how to most effectively integrate faith and learning, how best to help students develop a Christian worldview, how to help students recognize their calling, and how to prepare students to be servant leadersJohn A. Sparks
John A. Sparks is dean of the Alva J. Calderwood School of Arts & Letters at Grove City College. He is a professor of business and history and a fellow for educational policy in the Center for Vision & Values. He is a graduate of Grove City College and received his doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School.
• Tentative paper topic: Russell Kirk and his view of educationL. John Van Til
L. John Van Til is a retired professor of humanities and business law at Grove City College (1972-2004) and fellow for law & humanities at the Center for Vision & Values. He is the author of "Liberty of Conscience" and editor of President Calvin Coolidge's three volumes of writings. He helped to develop the core curriculum that is the forerunner to Grove City College's required three-year Civilization Series.
• Tentative lecture topic: "Faith, Freedom, & Higher Education: from Coolidge to Reagan"