For immediate release
Further information: contact Joseph Giomboni
Public Relations office, (570) 208-5957

Aug. 11, 2015 - The McGowan Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility at King’s College will bring renowned experts to campus for a series of free public lectures during the fall semester.

Economist Dr. David Feldman, Department of Economics, College of William and Mary, will deliver the 2015 Labor Day Lecture at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 9, in the Burke Auditorium. During the lecture, titled "Turbulent Waters: Challenges Facing America’s Colleges and Universities,” Dr. Feldman will discuss the challenges facing higher education, including the drivers of cost and of tuition, changes in the global and domestic economy, and questions of sustainability. 

King’s College will host a panel discussion on questions of race and social justice at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 17, in the Burke Auditorium. The panel discussion “After Ferguson: Law and Order, Race, Poverty, and Social Justice” will be an opportunity for the King’s and Wilkes-Barre community to participate in the nationwide discussion about race and race relations that has unfolded since the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri and similar violent incidents igniting outrage and protest in New York and Baltimore. 

The panel discussion, which serves as the College’s 2015 Constitution Day event, includes four persons with different areas of expertise and perspectives: Gerard “Jerry” Dessoye, executive director of Campus Safety and Security at King’s and former Chief of Police of the Wilkes-Barre Police Department; Ed Martin, former Chairman of the Missouri Republic Party; Stefanie Salavantis, Luzerne County District Attorney; and Larry Singleton, President of the Wilkes-Barre NAACP.

Father Patrick Ryan, S.J., the Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society at Fordham University, will deliver the 2015 Feast of Saint Francis Lecture at 7 p.m. on Oct. 28 in the Burke Auditorium.  In the lecture, titled “Francis, Ignatius, and Francis: Catholic Encounters with Muslims,” Father Ryan will compare and contrast Francis of Assisi with Ignatius Loyola and Pope Francis and their histories with the Muslim faith and the plight of Christianity in the Middle East.

Dr. Heather Reid, professor of philosophy at Morningside College, will explore the ethics of risk in sport through a comparison between Roman gladiators and college football players. The lecture, titled “College Football’s Gladiators,” will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, in the Burke Auditorium.

The Burke Auditorium is located in the William G. McGowan School of Business on North River Street. Parking will be available in on-campus lots. For more information, please contact Dr. Bernard Prusak, director, McGowan Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility, at (570) 208-5900, ext. 5689.

Dr. David Feldman

Dr. David Feldman

Father Patrick Ryan, S.J.

Father Patrick Ryan, S.J.

Dr. Heather Reid

Dr. Heather Reid