Noon forums at Northern State University begin Wednesday with talk by Jon Schaff

American News
·2 min read

Northern State University’s fall noon forums begin Wednesday with a talk by government professor Jon Schaff.

The noon forums are in the Beulah Williams Library Round Room on the west side of campus. Schaff will present the topic “Liberal Education and Democracy.”

Schaff, also director of Northern’s Center for Public History and Civic Engagement, specializes in the study of American political thought and institutions. He has published on the presidency and political thought of Abraham Lincoln, politics and literature, and politics and popular culture.

Wednesday's forum, along with the Sept. 21 presentation by Ken Blanchard, are in conjunction with Northern's observation of Constitution Day on Sept. 19. Blanchard is presenting a talk called “Darwin and the Declaration.”

The forums are free and open to the public. They are sponsored by Northern State Faculty Senate, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and the Center for Public History and Civic Engagement.

Other scheduled forums include:

  • Sept. 28: "Five Essential Social Changes" by Kristi Brownfield.

  • Oct. 5: The candidates on education featuring state Rep. Carl Perry, R-Aberdeen; Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Brian Bengs of Aberdeen and others.

  • Oct. 12: Native American Day by Pam Monaghan-Geernaert and Lara Nelson.

  • Oct. 19: "Four Feet Better: Animals and Mental Health" by Chris Puglisi.

  • Oct. 26: "Town and Gown: Northern and the Aberdeen Community" by Aberdeen Mayor Travis Schaunaman, Aberdeen Development Corp. CEO Mike Bockorny and NSU Foundation President and CEO Zach Flakus.

  • Nov. 2: "Apocalypse Now! What’s at Stake in the 2022 Elections" by Steven Usitalo, Blanchard and Schaff.

  • Nov. 9: "Over There and Over Here" by Brooke Louise Thielbar and Sgt. Brock Thielbar.

  • Nov. 16: "Effective Engagement Strategies in HyFlex Modality Based on Intrinsic Motivation in Students" by Kristi Bockorny, Theresa Giannavola, Shalini Mathew and Hannah Walters.

  • Nov. 30: "How Local Botany Has Altered Our History" by Jeff Bartel.

This article originally appeared on Aberdeen News: NSU noon forums begin wednesday