MUW’s Gordy Honors College Announces Forum Series Spring Schedule

COLUMBUS, Miss. (Press Release) — The Gordy Honors College’s Forum Series opens with the annual “Faculty Member of the Year Lecture” Thursday, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. at Nissan Auditorium in Parkinson Hall on the campus of Mississippi University for Women.

Mary Jo Kirkpatrick, director of the Associate of Science in Nursing program and 2014 Faculty Member of the Year will be honored. She will present on her life, career and interests.

“This is the second annual FMOY lecture”, explained Dr. Thomas G. Velek, director of the Gordy Honors College. “The concept was inspired by the Last Lecture Series at Carnegie Mellon University. We want our outstanding faculty to have a chance to talk about what motivates them, their hopes, dreams and aspirations.”

The Forum Series continues through April with lectures, film and undergraduate and faculty research. The series is free and open to the MUW campus and the community. All presentations are in Nissan Auditorium unless noted otherwise.

On Feb. 5, the series begins a two part examination of the Civil Rights movement in Mississippi with a screening of the critically acclaimed documentary “Spies of Mississippi.” On Feb. 19, the series welcomes Dawn Porter to Columbus. Porter is the producer and director of “Spies of Mississippi.” An award-winning filmmaker, Porter’s other notable work includes the film “Gideon’s Army.” The title of her presentation will be: “Spies of Mississippi; the Campaign to Stop the Civil Right Movement.”

March 5 will bring Dr. Velek to the stage for his presentation “Blood and Guts but Little Glory; When Military Leadership Fails the Soldiers.” Part of the year-long World War I Symposium, the lecture examines how military leadership in World War I failed to keep pace with the changing technology of warfare.

“This is an important topic not only for understanding why World War I unfolded as it did, but also as a cautionary study in the modern climate of rapidly changing military technology” said Dr. Velek.

On March 26, the Forum Series presents the third annual Nell Peel Wolfe Lecture. The lecture titled “Islamic Pacifism; Global Muslims in the Post-Osama Era” will be presented by special guest Arsalan Iftikhar. Iftikhar, a well-known human rights attorney, is the Author of “Islamic Pacifism,”founder of Muslimguy.com, and senior editor of the “The Islamic Monthly.” His speaking engagements include Harvard, the Rockefeller Center, Georgetown University and the Doha Debates presented by the BBC. He has served as a commentator for CNN, Fox News and National Public Radio.

Dr. Velek describes his coming to The W as “an extraordinary opportunity and very timely.” The presentation will be held in Poindexter Hall.

The Forum Series concludes with three presentations devoted to research done at MUW. On April 9, the New Faculty Research Symposium will be held. April 23 and April 30 will feature the Spring Honors Research Symposium (parts I and II). The events showcase the undergraduate research of MUW seniors who are working on honors research projects. Poster sessions will be presented by students midway through projects and final research presentations will be made.

“It is exciting that we have so many students doing undergraduate research and that the quality of the work done at MUW is so high, by both faculty and students” said Dr. Velek.

Speakers are available after to meet and greet members of the audience.

Dr. Velek is pleased that the Forum Series continues to be one of the premier lecture series in the Southeast.

For further information or to reserve group seating, contact Dr. Thomas G. Velek at tgvelek@muw.edu or (662) 241-6850 or visit http://www.muw.edu/honors/forum.