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$5 Million Gift Helps Launch Lawrence Film Studies Center

A game-changer for Lawrence University.

President Jill Beck announced a $5 million gift from Lawrence graduates Tom and Julie Hurvis that will support the establishment of The Hurvis Center for Interdisciplinary Film Studies, a facility dedicated to the integration of film production into the Lawrence curriculum.

The $5 million gift from the Hurvis Charitable Foundation was a part of Lawrence’s recently concluded “More Light!” campaign that raised more than $160 million.

Julie '61 and Tom Hurvis '60

The opening of the Hurvis Center will expand the scope of Lawrence’s current film curriculum, physically and intellectually.  The program currently includes interdisciplinary courses on film theory, history and analysis. The gift will create a fully functional film production studio supporting students’ creation of film and video for artistic and scholarly expression.

Beginning with its signature course, Freshman Studies, Lawrence provides a rigorous education in the traditional forms of literacy — cogent writing and oral dialogue. The enhanced film program will complement those traditions by engaging students in a third form of literacy essential for the 21st century: the visual literacy of film and video.

“Students already learn to ‘read’ film through our existing film theory and history curriculum,” said Beck. “The expanded program made possible by Tom and Julie Hurvis will enable students to learn to ‘write’ as well, producing original documentaries and creative films to express ideas, to raise awareness about issues of concern, and to share research with scholarly and community audiences.

“We are fortunate that an imaginative interdisciplinary approach to film studies has evolved and grown at Lawrence over the past many years,” Beck added. “The Hurvis gift recognizes that fact and generously provides us with the opportunity to add film production to our students’ education and integrate production into our existing program.”

Tom Hurvis, a 1960 Lawrence graduate and chairman and CEO of Old World Industries in Chicago, sees the program as a “game-changer for Lawrence.”

“It really puts the college into a different arena,” said Hurvis. “Here’s an innovation that is something new and it definitely fits with Lawrence. What else could potentially bring so many different members of the faculty together?”

Catherine Tatge '72

Award-winning filmmaker Catherine Tatge, a 1972 Lawrence graduate, will serve as a consultant to help get the program launched, offering workshops, assisting students and faculty with specific projects, and consulting with film studies faculty on how the Hurvis gift can best be put to use in curricular development.

“Catherine has expressed enthusiasm for the existing film studies program and is eager to work with faculty on an enhanced program that reflects Lawrence’s distinctiveness,” said Beck.

With more than 25 years of filmmaking experience, Tatge brings a unique vision for the development of a program that will be integrated through diverse areas of the Lawrence curriculum.

“I’m very excited about this new program,” said Tatge, whose latest documentary film, “John Muir in the New World,” premiered on PBS’ “American Masters” series earlier this year. “As a Lawrence graduate, I know the culture of this institution. Developing this program is really going to be a process, working with the faculty and with students to help build something that is uniquely tailored to Lawrence.”

2010 Lawrence graduate Garth Neustadter composed the score for the John Muir film and won an Emmy Award in the original music composition category.

The Hurvises are looking forward to watching the evolution of a distinctive film program rooted in Lawrence’s liberal arts tradition.

“This project is open-ended,” said Julie Hurvis, who graduated from Lawrence in 1961 with a degree in studio art. “We’re excited about it becoming a reality, as people are hired and begin working on the program.”

Filmmaking at Lawrence will promote cross fertilization throughout the campus, drawing upon resources from music performance, composition and arranging, art, dance, theatre, and creative writing. It aspires to engage many academic departments by making film another way for students and faculty to disseminate disciplinary research and ideas.

“Lawrence already has very good creative synergy with the conservatory of music, with art, the theatre department and other creative areas, so the film program will be a beautiful tie-in to all of those different creative juices,” said Tom Hurvis.

“I see bringing different parts of the university together to work on different aspects of the media and cinema process so that students will leave Lawrence being media-savvy and capable of effectively communicating their ideas,” added Tatge.

The Hurvis Center will be located in the renovated lower level of the former Jason Downer Commons. It will provide more than 5,500 square feet of new academic programming space, including a 2,000-square-foot central performance and screening venue for use by film studies and other disciplines, including theatre, dance and music. The large and flexible space will promote collaboration and cross fertilization among multiple disciplines.

The gift also will support the addition of a new faculty position to develop new offerings on filmmaking and a technical position to provide expertise in maintaining equipment and instruction on how to use it.

“Lawrence is truly fortunate to have philanthropists like Tom and Julie Hurvis among its alumni,” said Beck.  “They have a wonderful vision for Lawrence as one of the very best liberal arts institutions in the nation and have made landmark investments in the college to help it achieve that stature.”

Tom and Julie Hurvis’ interests in film include serving as producers of the 2009 award-winning documentary film “The Providence Effect.”  Winner of two film festival “Best Documentary” awards, the film chronicles the efforts of Paul Adams to transform Providence St. Mel, an all-black parochial school on Chicago’s notorious drug-ridden, gang-ruled West Side into a first-rank college preparatory school for its African-American student body.

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 35 countries.

Tierney Sutton Band, John and Gerald Clayton Headline 31st Annual Jazz Celebration Weekend

The multi-Grammy Award nominated Tierney Sutton Band makes its Lawrence University debut Friday, Nov. 4 when it opens the college’s 31st annual Jazz Celebration Weekend. Father-son duo John and Gerald Clayton share the stage with the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble and Studio Orchestra in the weekend’s finale Saturday, Nov. 5. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

Tickets, at $22-20 for adults, $19-17 for seniors and $17-15 for students, are available through the Lawrence Box Office in the Music-Drama Center, 920-832-6749.

Singer Tierney Sutton

Led by Tierney Sutton, who grew up in Milwaukee and earned a degree in Russian language and literature at Wesleyan University, the five-member band celebrated both the recent release of its ninth album, “American Road,” as well as its third Grammy nomination for “Best Vocal Jazz Album.”

“Tierney is a terrific choice as one of our headliners,” said Fred Sturm, Jazz Celebration Weekend founder and Lawrence’s director of jazz studies and improvisational music. “She is a Wisconsin native, a marvelous singer and an experienced educator who taught jazz studies at the University of Southern California and now directs the vocal department at the Los Angeles Music Academy. She undoubtedly will inspire the student musicians attending our festival.”

During its nearly two-decade long incorporated partnership, the band — Sutton on vocals, pianist Christian Jacob, bassists Trey Henry and Kevin Axt and drummer Ray Brinker — have garnered critical praise for their performances and recordings throughout the world with such musical luminaries as Ray Charles and Placido Domingo.

In addition to three Grammy nominations, Sutton was recognized with JazzWeek’s Vocalist of the Year Award in 2005 and the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s Jazz Vocalist Award the following year.  The 2002 disc “Something Cool” reached no.1 on the jazz charts.

Legendary composer/arranger/conductor and virtuoso bassist John Clayton, alongside his son, acclaimed pianist Gerald Clayton, close the weekend. The Claytons were a mid-summer Jazz Celebration Weekend replacement for Lyle Mays, who had to cancel his appearance for personal reasons.

Bassist John Clayton

“Folks my age typically don’t admit to having heroes, but John Clayton is surely one of mine,” said Sturm. “When I invited him to appear at Jazz Weekend, he asked ‘Can I bring my son Gerald?’ I was thrilled, for the word has been out about this 27-year-old jazz prodigy for several years. Seeing and hearing this remarkable father-son duo will be an unforgettable musical experience for Jazz Weekend participants and audience members.”

A Grammy Award-winning composer, John Clayton’s career is littered with an impressive   array of accomplishments. Comfortable in both classical and jazz styles, he served as bassist with the Count Basie Orchestra and the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and as artistic director of Jazz for the L.A. Philharmonic and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. As a music arranger, he has worked with Nancy Wilson and Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston and Queen Latifah, among others.

“Quite simply, John can do it all,” said Sturm.

Born in the Netherlands but raised in Los Angeles, Gerald Clayton was named one of the top “up-and-coming pianists to watch” in a 2008 Downbeat Readers Poll. Influenced by Oscar Peterson, Monty Alexander and Benny Green, Gerald Clayton styles his music on the notion “tradition and innovation can peacefully coexist.”

Pianist Gerald Clayton Photo by Emra Islek

He began playing the piano at the age of six and has since performed for audiences across the globe while collaborating with such notable artists as Lewis Nash, Terrell Stafford and Clark Terry. In addition to award-winning piano skills that garnered a Grammy nomination in 2009 for his work on Cole Porter’s “All of You” in the Best Improvised Jazz Solo category, Gerald Clayton’s composition “Battle Circle” was a 2010 Grammy nomination for “Best Instrumental Jazz Composition.” Most recently, the Gerald Clayton Trio released its second album, “Bond: The Paris Sessions,” and made its debut at the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands.

As part of the Saturday concert, the Lawrence Studio Orchestra and the Jazz Ensemble will perform original works written and conducted by John Clayton and accompanied by Gerald Clayton. The Jazz Ensemble also will perform a set of Clayton works scored for the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, one of the world’s premier big bands.

In addition to the two evening concerts, Lawrence will host more than 30 university, high school and middle school ensembles at part of  the 2011 Jazz Celebration Weekend. On Saturday, these ensembles will participate in daytime performances, educational clinics, and master classes with some of the finest jazz educators from across the country. All daytime  Saturday events are free and open to the public.

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 35 countries.

Lawrence Welcomes Music Critic Alex Ross for University Convocation

Erudite author and music critic Alex Ross explores the historical connection shared by an evolving string of musicians — from 16th-century Spaniards to J.S. Bach to Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones — in a Lawrence University convocation.

Alex Ross

Ross presents “The Lamento Connection: Bass Lines of Music History,” Thursday, Nov. 3 at 11:10 a.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel. He also will conduct a question-and-answer session from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center cinema. Both events are free and open to the public.

A Harvard University graduate, Ross began his career in the early 1990s writing music critiques for The New York Times. Since 1996, he has covered everything from the New York Metropolitan Opera to Radiohead as music critic of The New Yorker.

His first book, 2007’s “The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century,” chronicled the historical, biographical and social context of music from 1900-2000.  Among the observations he detailed are the porous borders shared by popular and modern classical music. “The Rest is Noise” earned a National Book Critics Circle award and was named finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

In 2010 he released a second book, “Listen to This,” a collection of revised essays from his New Yorker magazine columns. Ross was recognized with a $500,000 MacArthur Foundation “genius” Fellowship in 2008.

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 35 countries.

“Blood Diamonds” Author Discusses Progress in Sierra Leone in Human Rights Series Address

Award-winning journalist and author Greg Campbell, whose book “Blood Diamonds: Tracing the Deadly Path of the World’s Most Precious Stones,” inspired the 2006 Oscar-nominated, Leonardo DiCaprio film “Blood Diamond,” delivers the final lecture in Lawrence University’s month-long series “Engaging Human Rights.”

Greg Campbell

Campbell presents “Lessons Learned from Conflict Diamonds in Sierra Leone, or Opportunities Missed?” Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. in the Wriston Art Center auditorium. Campbell’s visit is sponsored by the Mojmir Povolny Lectureship in International Studies. Named in honor of long-time Lawrence government professor Mojmir Povolny, the lectureship promotes interest and discussion on issues of moral significance and ethical dimensions.

Based on his recent return visit to Sierra Leone, Campbell will assess the country’s progress 10 years after the end of a brutal civil war waged for control of its vast diamond reserves, including whether diamonds are a blessing or remain a national curse.

Campbell has written for The Atlantic, The Economist, Christian Science Monitor and the San Francisco Chronicle, among others.  In addition to “Blood Diamonds,” he is the author of “The Road to Kosovo: A Balkan Diary,” and “Flawless: Inside the World’s Largest Diamond Heist. His latest book, “Pot of Gold,” which examines  the exploding medical marijuana industry, is forthcoming.

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 35 countries.

Luigi Pirandello’s Tragicomic Masterpiece “Henry IV” Comes to Stansbury Theatre

Four performances of Lawrence University’s production of Sicilian playwright Luigi Pirandello’s tragicomic masterpiece “Henry IV” will be staged Oct. 27-29 in Stansbury Theatre of the Music-Drama Center.

Performances are at 8 p.m. each night with an additional 3 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Oct. 29. Tickets, at $10 for adults and $5 for senior citizens/students, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

A study in madness, the play follows an Italian aristocrat who, at a historically themed party, is thrown from his horse and comes to believe himself to be the character he portrayed — Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor — setting off a near-20-year hoax, complete with a recreated throne room and attending knights. Di Nolli, the aristocrat’s nephew, pays a visit seeking to fulfill his mother’s dying wish that “Henry” finally be cured of his delusion.

“It’s a great privilege to introduce my students and the larger community to a play that examines such complex questions with humor and striking theatricality,” said Timothy X. Troy, professor of theatre arts and J. Thomas and Julie Esch Hurvis Professor of Theatre and Drama, who will direct the production.

The play features costuming by new department designer Karin Kopischke, a 1980 Lawrence graduate, who mixes the latest Italian fashions with all the trappings of an 11th-century German king.

Senior Kyle Brauer plays the title character madman and sophomore Madeline Bunke portrays Matilda, who spurned Henry’s love before his accident. Senior Hannah Kennedy plays Frida, Matilda’s daughter, whose resemblance to her mother plays a key part in the family’s attempt to restore Henry’s sanity.

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 35 countries.

NYC Filmmakers Discuss Their Documentaries as Part of “Engaging Human Rights” Series

New York filmmakers Pamela Yates and Paco de Onis will be on campus to discuss two of their documentaries being shown as part of Lawrence University’s month-long series “Engaging Human Rights.”

On Monday, Oct. 24, following a 7 p.m. screening of the 2011 film “Granito: How to Nail a Dictator,” Yates, the film’s director and de Onis, its producer, will conduct a question-and-answer session in the Warch Campus cinema.  The pair also will discuss “The Reckoning: The Battle for the International Criminal Court” on Tuesday, Oct. 25 after it is shown at 7 p.m.

Pamela Yates

Yates is a co-founder of Skylight Pictures, a company dedicated to creating films and digital media tools that advance awareness of human rights and the quest for justice. Four of the films more than dozen films she has directed have been nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Paco de Onis

Paco, a partner at Skylight Pictures, previously produced documentaries for PBS and National Geographic. His eclectic background includes creating music festivals in South America and the Caribbean, renovating and operating an arts/performance theater in Miami Beach and owning a Spanish-style tapas tavern in a 500-year old colonial house in Cartagena, Colombia.

“Granito,” part political thriller, part memoir follows a 40-year search for details that can be used to hold accountable those responsible for the genocide of more than 200,000 people at the hands of Guatemalan military and paramilitary soldiers. It received the “Best Creative Documentary Award” at this year’s Paris International Film Festival.

“The Reckoning” explores the new International Criminal Court’s struggle to prosecute perpetrators of crimes against humanity, including Sudan President Omar al-Bashir and Lord’s Resistance Army leaders in Uganda.  Recognized with Emmy Award nominations for Best Documentary and Outstanding Investigative Journalism, “The Reckoning” was named Best Documentary at the 2009 Politics on Film Festival in Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 56 countries.

Evolution of U.S. Innovation Examined in “Schumptoberfest” Keynote Address

David Hounshell, Roderick Professor of Technology and Social Change at Carnegie Mellon University, examines the evolution of U.S. innovation, research and development over the past century Saturday, Oct. 22 in the keynote address of “Schumptoberfest 2011,” a workshop hosted by Lawrence University that explores the role of  innovation and entrepreneurship in the liberal arts curriculum.

David Hounshell

Hounshell presents “The World Schumpeter Made, or the World That Made Schumpeter?” at 4:30 p.m. in the Warch Campus Center cinema. The address is free and open to the public.

Trained in both engineering and history, Hounshell studies innovation at the intersection of science, technology and industry, especially the role of independent inventors and entrepreneurs in the development of technology.

He is the author of the award-winning book “From the American System to Mass Production, 1800-1932” and co-authored the book “Science and Corporate Strategy:  DuPont R&D, 1902-1980.”

The weekend workshop honors early 20th-century economist Joseph Schumpeter, who believed innovation and entrepreneurship are the prominent characteristics of the capitalist system.

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,445 students from 44 states and 56 countries.

Community Poverty Simulation Workshop Raises Awareness on Low Income Challenges

An interactive workshop designed to raise awareness of the challenges faced by low-income people and better understand the issues and emotions behind the statistics of poverty will be conducted Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 7-10 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Warch Campus Center.

Community members are invited to join Lawrence students, faculty and staff in a poverty simulation in which they will assume the roles of families dealing with economic hardship.  Interested participants are asked to register in advance.

During the workshop, participants will be assigned to different “families” who are facing various obstacles: some are recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), some are recently deserted by the household “breadwinner” while others are senior citizens living solely on Social Security benefits.

Role-playing families attempt to provide basic necessities and shelter while navigating community resources such as banks, grocery stores and utility companies over the course of four 15-minute “weeks.” A debriefing session in which participants share their feelings about the learning experience follows the exercise.

“The Poverty Simulation will give participants a chance to understand poverty right here in Appleton,” said Chuck Demler, AmeriCorps VISTA Service Learning Coordinator at Lawrence. “We’ll unearth poverty issues hidden right around us.”

Although not an official part of Lawrence’s current month-long “Engaging Human Rights” series, the simulation offers participants an opportunity to actively learn more about social justice and human rights issues as they apply to life in the Fox Valley. As many as 40 percent of students in the Fox Valley come from households that have incomes low enough to qualify them for free or reduced price meals at school.

The workshop is sponsored by Lawrence’s Office of Engaged Learning, the Lawrence Volunteer and Community Service Center and CAP Services, Inc. Founded under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, CAP Services began as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty.” The organization, which serves Outagamie, Marquette, Portage, Waupaca and Waushara counties, seeks “a permanent increase in the ability of low-income individuals to become economically and emotionally self-sufficient.”

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,520 students from 44 states and 56 countries.

Piano Maestro Richard Goode Returns to Lawrence University Memorial Chapel Oct. 21

The musical mastery of pianist Richard Goode returns to the Lawrence Memorial Chapel Friday, Oct. 21 at 8 p.m in a Lawrence University Artists Series concert. Goode’s appearance marks his third performance at Lawrence and first since 2002.

Tickets, at $22-20 for adults, $19-17 for seniors and $17-15 for students, are available through the Lawrence Box Office in the Music-Drama Center, 420 E. College Ave., Appleton or by calling 920-832-6749.

Richard Goode

Acknowledged as one of today’s master musicians for the tremendous emotional power, depth and sensitivity of his music, the New York City native is renowned for his interpretations of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart and Schubert. Goode, 68, probes the inner reaches of the works he performs, infusing every measure with the utmost expressivity. His musicianship combines boldness of the mind with depth of the heart.

“This is some of the most stunningly beautiful piano playing in the world today,” said Professor of Music Catherine Kausky, who teaches piano in the Lawrence conservatory, of Goode. “Impeccable sound, control and a sort of caring about every note that one rarely encounters. This is completely honest and committed music-making at its best.”

According to the New York Times, “It is virtually impossible to walk away from one of Mr. Goode’s recitals without the sense of having gained some new insight, subtly or otherwise, into the works he played or about pianism itself.”

His discography includes more than two dozen recordings, including Mozart’s solo works and concerti with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra as well as solo and chamber works of Brahms, Chopin, Schubert and Schumann, among others. He was the first American-born pianist to record the complete Beethoven Sonatas, which earned him a Grammy Award nomination.

Goode has appeared with many of the world’s greatest orchestras — Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony, Orchestre de Paris and the Vienna Symphony among then — and has been heard throughout Germany in sold-out concerts with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

He was presented the first Jean Gimbel Lane Prize in Piano Performance in 2006, an award that honor pianists who have achieved the highest levels of national and international recognition and earned a Grammy Award in 1982 for Best Chamber Music Performance with clarinetist Richard Stoltzman.

Following his Friday evening concert, Goode is generously conducting a master class at 10 a.m. and a lecture-recital at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Both events will be held in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,520 students from 44 states and 56 countries.

Latin America Expert Examines Influence of Churches in Human Rights Series Presentation

The emergence of human rights as an influencing factor in international relations and the role Latin America played in that process will be examined in the second installment of Lawrence University’s month-long series “Engaging Human Rights.”

Alexander Wilde '62

Alexander Wilde, a 1962 Lawrence graduate and a senior scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., presents “The Churches and Human Rights in Latin America” Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. in the Wriston Art Center auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

Although human rights are founded in international law, Wilde will discuss how Christian beliefs and institutions contributed significantly to social movements that made the cause of human rights effective and how understanding why Latin American Christians were moved to action hold insights for engaging human rights today.

Wilde is spending the fall term as Lawrence’s distinguished visiting Scarff professor. During his career, he has directed the Washington Office on Latin America, an NGO concerned with human rights and U.S. foreign policy, and was an officer of the Ford Foundation. In the mid-1990s, he led the Ford Foundation’s regional office in Santiago, Chile, developing new programming in human rights and historical memory.

In addition to his position at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Wilde serves on advisory boards at the Social Science Research Council, Chilean Millennium Science Initiative and the Latin American Program of the Woodrow Wilson Center.

In recent years he has advised Argentine human rights organizations and award-winning documentary films, including “State of Fear” (2005) on the work of the Peruvian Truth Commission, “The Judge and the General” (2008) on efforts to prosecute Pinochet, “The Reckoning” (2009) on the International Criminal Court, and “Granito” (2011) on the Guatemalan genocide.  He lived and worked in Chile for more than a decade during its long post-1990 transition to democracy.

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,520 students from 44 states and 56 countries.