2013 Events
An exhibition titled "Art Gathering: The Collector" featuring selected works from the Patric McCoy Collection were on display in the Visual Arts Gallery January 15- February 6, 2013. Artists represented were Dalton Brown, Susan Clinard, Luis De La Torre, Stephen Flemister, Theaster Gates, Skip Hill, Barbara Jones-Hogu, Marva Pitchford Jolly, Tim Lemming, Joyce Owens, Max Sansing, and Julian Williams. A closing reception was held on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 from 4:30-7:30 p.m. with remarks from 6:00-7:00 p.m. This exhibition was sponsored in part by the Intellectual Life Committee and the College of Arts and Sciences, Communication, Visual and Performing Arts Division.
2012 Events
In honor of Nikki Giovanni's appearance at GSU on November 7th, the Intellectual Life Committee chose her book Quilting the Black-Eyed Pea for this semester's One Book, One University selection. Copies of the book were available at the University Library.
Before Giovanni's 7 p.m. performance at the Center for Performing Arts, everyone was invited to join the discussion of her book and hear some of her poems recited at the One Book, One University program which began at 3:30 p.m. in Engbretson Hall.
Members of the discussion panel included Dr. Christopher White, Assistant Professor of English, and Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, Assistant Professor of History. Dr. Rashida Muhammad served as moderator. Dr. Muhammad also led students in a choral reading of the title poem. Individual students read selected Giovanni poems.
Refreshments were served. Both this event and the evening presentation were free and open to the public.
Before and After Deployment: Trauma and the Impact on the Military Family
On October 29th, from 3:00-6:30 p.m. a forum titled "Before and After Deployment: Trauma and the Impact on the Military Family" took place in the Center for Performing Arts. This free program was open to the public.
Presented by the College of Health and Human Services, the Department of Social Work, the College of Education, GSU Intellectual Life Committee, the University Honors Program, and the Wounded Warrior Project, the program featured these speakers and discussion topics:
- Michael Johnson: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Marquell Smith: Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, and Transgender (GLBT) serving within the confines of Don't Ask - Don't Tell
- Nicole McCoy: Women Serving as Respected Leaders in the Military (MST)
- Sharon Orsborn: Family members of combat veterans
- Adam Winder, Wounded Warrier Project: After Deployment - Warriors to Work through Economic Empowerment
Yes, You Can! Enriching Your Child's Language and Literacy Skills
On October 25th, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. a presentation called "Yes, You Can! Enriching Your Child's Language and Literacy Skills" took place in the Hall of Honors. The program was presented by Dr. Jennifer Armstrong, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor of Communication Disorders, and graduate students from the Department of Communication Disorders at GSU.
This event was sponsored by the College of Health and Human Services and the GSU Intellectual Life Committee.
Nutritional Health Summit
On Thursday, October 18th from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. a Nutritional Health Summit was held in the Hall of Governors. Topics included the 12-step path to a healthier lifestyle, how to count calories and make healthier food selections, and how to incorporate exercise into your life. This program was sponsored by the GSU Intellectual Life Committee.
Throwaways
On October 17th, students in the Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree program hosted a special program to encourage discussion and understanding of the adjustment problems facing women after incarceration. The program began at 6:00 p.m. in the Center for Performing Arts with a screening of Throwaways, a documentary film made by GSU students. The film follows the lives of several women as they adjust to life after prison.
Immediately following the film, the students and the women featured in Throwaways participated in a discussion of the film's message and a question and answer session. The program was free and open to the public. To help the women transition to community life, donations of gift cards for groceries, gas, and household goods were accepted.
This event was coordinated by Caron Jacobson of the GSU Criminal Justice Department. The project was funded by Andrea A. Raila & Associates and a GSU Intellectual Life Grant with special thanks to the Cook County Commission on Women's Issues Districts 5, 6, and 12.
Handicap This!
Earlier on October 17th, from 3:00-4:30 p.m. a live stage show called "Handicap This!" took place in the Center for Performing Arts. The show starred 23 year old Mike Berkson, who while living with Cerebral Palsy, refuses to dwell on limitations, pondering instead unlimited possibilities. Joining Berkson on the stage was his friend Tim Wambach, his former middle school teacher. With music and humor, Berkson and Wambach shared their inspirational message of challenging stereotypes, breaking down barriers, coping with handicaps, and living up to one's potential and beyond.
This event was sponsored by the Intellectual Life Committee, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Health and Human Services, Academic Resource Center, and Office of Student Life.
Dr. Rony Berger: Fostering Psychological Healing in the Aftermath of Terrorism and Other Major Disasters
On Monday, October 15th, Dr. Rony Berger shared his international experiences with promoting psychological healing after the trauma of war, terrorism, and other major disasters. The presentation included a screening of the trailer for "10-Percent: What Makes A Hero? - A Documentary" about Dr. Berger's collaborative research with Stanford Professor Phillip Zimbardo. The film was created by noted filmmaker Yoav Shamir and executive producer Michael Moore.
This free event which took place in Sherman Hall was open to the public and was sponsored by the Intellectual Life Committee; Department of Psychology and Counseling; and the Division of Communications, Visual, and Performing Arts.
Intellectual Life Grant Award Winners Fall 2012
The GSU Intellectual Life Committee has recently awarded 8 grants for the fall semester. Congratulations, winners! Our faculty, staff, and students can look forward to the following programs for Fall 2012:
- Jennifer Armstrong - Yes you can! Enriching your child’s language and literacy skills
- Michael Griffin - Before and after deployment
- Jane Rhoades Hudak - Lecture by Dr. Rony Berger
- Arness Krause - Rhetoric of women in political discourse
- Larry Levinson - Challenging structures and changing our world
- Robbie O’Shea - Handicap this!
- Carla Roberson - You are what you eat!
- Lydia Morrow Ruetten - Foreign film series
The Color Purple
On Tuesday, February 7th a panel discussion on The Color Purple by Alice Walker took place in the Hall of Honors. Panelists were Rashidah Muhammad, Elizabeth Johnson, Elizabeth Todd-Breland, and Byron Waller. Additionally, on February 8th, the GSU Center for Performing Arts staged a performance of the play, The Color Purple.
Author Alice Walker won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction for The Color Purple. A film and musical have also been adapted from the novel.
Find out more about the book, the author, the play, and the movie at One Book: One University: The Color Purple. The One Book, One University program is sponsored by the University Intellectual Life Committee.
2011 Events
Persepolis
On Tuesday, November 1 a panel discussion on Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi took place. Provost Terry Allison moderated the discussion among panelists Sandra Gandy, JoAnneSmith, and Jason Zingsheim. Free refreshments were provided.
Wise, funny, and heartbreaking, Persepolis is Marjane Satrapi’s memoir of growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution told in powerful black-and-white comic strip images.
Find out more about the book, the author, Persepolis, the movie based on the book, and more at One Book, One University: Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood.
The One Book, One University series is sponsored by the GSU Intellectual Life Committee. For more information, contact Lydia Morrow Ruetten at ext. 4116.
2010 Events
Britain in the 1930s
On Tuesday, October 5, 2010 a free screening of a selection of short documentary films on Britain in the 1930s was presented. The screening was held in Engbretson Hall at 7:30 pm. Discussion of the films was led by Dr. Rosemary Johnsen, Governors State University English Department. Free refreshments were provided.
This screening was the second in a multi-part series hosted by Dr. Rosemary Johnsen and Dr. Christopher White of the GSU English Dept. The series was sponsored by a grant from the Intellectual Life Committee and is entitled: “Archiving the 1930s: Art, Politics, and Early Documentary Filmmaking.”
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
On Wednesday, October 13, 2010 One Book, One University spotlighted The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. The event was held from 5:30-7:30 pm in Sherman Music Hall. Provost Terry Allison, Rosemary Johnson (CAS), David Green (CBPA), Cheryl Mejhta (CHHS), Shannon Dermer (COE), and Tom Houlihan (Institutional Advancement) discussed the book's themes from their various perspectives of professional expertise. They also answered questions from the audience on the New York Times Best Seller.
One Book, One University is sponsored by the University Intellectual Life Commitee.
2009 Events
Movie Premiere of Chicago Heights
Chicago Heights is based on Sherwood Anderson's classic novel "Winesburg, Ohio,"
The screenplay was written by Professor Daniel Nearing and Rudy
Thauberger. The film was directed by Nearing and produced by Professor Sang Lee.
Chicago Heights was shown at the Pusan Film Festival in Pusan, South Korea.
Team of Rivals 
On Wednesday, October 21, 2009 the Intellectual Life Committee offered Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin as its Fall 2009 One Book, One University selection. The event was held from 6:00-7:15 p.m. in Engbretson Hall, Dr. Thomas F. Schwartz,
Illinois State Historian and Lincoln expert from the Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, led a discussion
on the book's themes.
To Kill a Mockingbird
On Wednesday, March 25, 2009 the Intellectual Life Committee was proud to present a university-wide forum on the Harper Lee classic, To Kill a Mockingbird.The discussion of this Pulitzer Prize winning novel was held at 6:00 p.m. in the Center for the Performing Arts. Dr. Mort Maimon, Professor Elizabeth Johnson (CAS), and Professor Shannon Dermer (COE) analyzed this timely novel from the perspective of their individual disciplines. Then the audience joined the conversation.
updated 11/19/12
