University Lectures

February 20, 2018 - 9:03pm
University of Pennsylvania's engineering dean was the first featured speaker in the University Lectures's spring series.

It was an unusually warm February night at Hendricks Chapel, and Dr. Vijay Kumar made sure to acknowledge that as he thanked the audience that turned out to listen to his speech.

“I’ve been to Syracuse 4 times, and I’ve learned usually not to come during a month with the letter R in its name,” Kumar joked, drawing laughter and applause from the crowd.

November 9, 2017 - 11:42pm
Historian Jill Lepore spoke at Hendricks Chapel on Thursday evening on the topic of her newest book, "The Secret History of Wonder Woman."

The latest installment of Syracuse's University Lectures brought Jill Lepore, an American historian, David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University, and staff writer at The New Yorker to Hendricks Chapel on Thursday night.

October 10, 2017 - 9:54pm
The Daily Show correspondent will be in Goldstein Auditorium on October 27.

Comedian and actor Hasan Minhaj is coming to Syracuse University in late October. Thanks to a partnership between University Union and University Lectures, Minhaj will be in Goldstein Auditorium on Oct. 27 at 7:30 pm. 

August 24, 2017 - 11:15am
The lineup this semester includes an award-winning broadcast journalist, one of the hosts of NPR's "Morning Edition," and a Harvard historian and staff writer at The New Yorker.

The Fall 2017 semester marks the University Lectures series' 17th season. Syracuse will host three speakers from different disciplines over the course of the semester to share their experiences and perspectives. 

Soledad O'Brien - Thursday, September 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Goldstein Auditorium, Schine Student Center - $5

December 4, 2016 - 9:49pm
The founder of popular photo and story blog Humans of New York will speak in Goldstein Auditorium on March 6.

Brandon Stanton will appear as part of a collaboration between University Union and University Lectures, UU officials announced Sunday night in a press release. Two other notable names round out the spring University Lectures in Hendricks Chapel: Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri on Feb.

October 20, 2016 - 3:03pm
Before her University Lectures talk, Lynsey Addario talked with The NewsHouse about working in some of the world's most dangerous places.

One of the most admired wartime photographers in modern history shared her experiences from the frontline while visiting SU's campus Tuesday to speak as part of the University Lectures series.

March 24, 2016 - 9:10am
Don Garber, who has held the highest position in the MLS since 1999, came to speak about recent soccer trends — and scandals — as part of SU's University Lectures series.

Soccer worldwide has endured heated criticism in the past year in regards to FIFA and its recent corruption scandals.

Don Garber, the commissioner of Major League Soccer, faced similar heat in Hendricks Chapel when he came to speak as part of the Syracuse University's University Lectures series.

October 14, 2015 - 12:47am
The third University Lecture of the semester featured Charles Blow and Ross Douthat, who spoke about modern issues and politics of race in America.

Columnist Charles Blow and blogger Ross Douthat spoke about racial inequality in black communities and how the digital media helped to address the issue at Hendricks Chapel on Tuesday night for the latest University Lecture Series.

March 25, 2015 - 1:10pm
Annie Griffiths' speech Tuesday night concluded this year's University Lecture Series.

From the Taj Mahal to the Dead Sea, Argentina to Namibia, Annie Griffiths has traveled through six continents. And she has the pictures to prove it.

The National Geographic photographer delivered the last University Lecture of the year Tuesday night in Hendricks Chapel. Displaying her dazzling array of beautifully crafted photos on a projector, Griffiths spoke about her journey documenting the world.

March 5, 2015 - 11:19am
Andreas Weigend spoke to issues about data and its effect on education, the workplace and health care.

Andreas Weigend has a positive outlook when it comes to the future of big data. Having the information to help people make better choices on what to buy, on how to interact with others, on how to travel, on how to learn—that’s exactly what intrigues him, he said.

“What would you do if you built the platform to help people make better decisions?” Weigend said. “What can we do with data — that’s what drives me. That’s what makes me happy.”