St. Olaf Academic Presentations

Reunion Weekend: All-Alumni Celebration

Sat, 30 May 2026 11:30:00 CDT

with President Susan Rundell Singer
Boe Memorial Chapel

137th St. Olaf College Commencement

Sat, 23 May 2026 13:00:00 CDT

Class of 2026
Campus Green

Baccalaureate Service for the Class of 2026

Sat, 23 May 2026 09:00:00 CDT

Matthew Marohl, College Pastor
Skoglund Auditorium

Campus Illumination Ceremony & Lighting

Fri, 22 May 2026 21:00:00 CDT

St. Olaf Class of 2026
Boe Memorial Chapel

Last Lecture and Parting Words for the Class of 2026

Thu, 21 May 2026 11:00:00 CDT

“No Kings” and "Beyond the Hill and Back Again: A Decade of Lessons Learned"
Jake Grossman, Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies
Brandon Cash '16, Director of Student Activities
Boe Memorial Chapel

Buntrock Institute for Freedom and Community Journalism Conference Keynote

Fri, 01 May 2026 17:00:00 CDT

Hierarchy, Grievance, and American Politics
Jamie Druckman, Martin Brewer Anderson Professor of Political Science, University of Rochester
Viking Theater

Honors Day Convocation

Fri, 01 May 2026 10:10:00 CDT

The Politics of Hope
Thomas Williamson ’86, The Kenneth Bjork Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Anthropology
Boe Memorial Chapel

2026 Ole Cup Student Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:00:00 CDT

Business Pitches, Keynote Speaker, and Award Presentation
Viking Theater

St. Olaf Student Leadership Awards Celebration

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:00:00 CDT

Recognizing Achievement in Student Life
Black and Gold Ballrooms

Buntrock Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:30:00 CDT

Polarization, Partisanship, and Political Violence
Liliana Mason, SNF Agora Institute Professor of Political Science, Johns Hopkins University
Viking Theater

Admitted Students Welcome

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:00:00 CDT

Chris George '94, Associate Vice President for Enrollment
Boe Memorial Chapel

Social Justice Award Ceremony

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 11:30:00 CDT

Honest Storytelling on Campus: Portraits of Memory, Presence, and Becoming
Kelly Sherman-Conroy, Visiting Assistant Professor of Religion
Viking Theater

Buntrock Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:30:00 CDT

Democracy’s Resilience to Populism’s Threat
Kurt Weyland, Mike Hogg Professor in Liberal Arts, Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin
Viking Theater

National Academies | Sciences, Engineering, Medicine

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:30:00 CDT

Envisioning a Bright Future for Rural Education in Minnesota
Welcome and Opening Keynote
Tomson Hall 280

Romance Languages Guest Lecture

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:15:00 CDT

Comal y Tortilla: On the Culinary Alchemy of a Nation, Food Sovereignty, and the Predicament of Good Intentions
Constanza Ocampo-Raeder, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Carleton College
Viking Theater

Buntrock Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:45:00 CDT

Populism and Democracy: A Public Choice View
Michael Munger, Professor, Political Science and Economics, Duke University
Viking Theater

Buntrock Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 15:30:00 CDT

The Great Abdication: How American Democracy Died
Steven Levitsky, David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies, Professor of Government and Director of the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Harvard University
Tomson Hall 280

43rd Annual Carl A. Mellby Lecture Series

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 11:30:00 CDT

The Music of Physics
Brian Borovsky, Professor of Physics and Director of Engineering Studies
Viking Theater

Ninth Annual James M. May Lecture in Classics

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 19:00:00 CDT

‘Cicero Speaks Norwegian’: Reconsidering Perpetual Contextuality in Classical and Religious Studies
His Grace the Right Reverend Irenei (Matthew Steenberg '01), Bishop of London and Western Europe for the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
Viking Theater

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 15:30:00 CDT

There But for the Grace of Wallstreet Go I
Corey Robin, Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Brooklyn College and CUNY Graduate Center
Viking Theater

Flaten Art Museum Lecture

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 19:00:00 CDT

Tibetan Medicine: Intersection of Ethics, Philosophy, and Healing
Tenzin Namdul, TMD, PhD, Assistant Professor and Director of the Tibetan Healing Initiative, University of Minnesota
Regents Hall 150

Classics Department Guest Lecture

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 16:00:00 CDT

Greek Myths from Egyptian Sands: Discovering and Interpreting "The New Euripides"
John C. Gibert, Professor of Classics, University of Colorado - Boulder
Viking Theater

The Taylor Center for Equity and Inclusion

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 16:30:00 CDT

Grose Family Lecture Series: Role of Religion and Faith in LGBTQIA+ Culture and Community
Rev. Hierald Osorto, Senior Pastor of San Pablo/St. Paul Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, Minn.
Viking Theater

Celebrating the Norwegian Department's 125th Anniversary and NAHA's 100th Anniversary

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 16:00:00 CDT

The Norwegian Discovery of America and the Creation of a Norway in America
Henrik Olav Mathiesen, University of Oslo
Tomson Hall 280

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 15:30:00 CDT

The Color of Civics: Civic Education for a Multiracial Democracy
Matt Nelsen '12, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Miami
Viking Theater

A Visit of His Royal Highness

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 10:10:00 CDT

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway
St. Olaf Choir, Anton Armstrong '78, Conductor
St. Olaf Orchestra, Chung Park, Conductor
Boe Memorial Chapel

NCCLA Latin American Studies Keynote Address

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 19:00:00 CDT

Mexico in the World: Making Capital, Seeking Sustainable Lives, Facing Exclusions and Migrations
John Tutino, School of Foreign Service, Department of History, Georgetown University
Viking Theater

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 15:30:00 CDT

The Ever-Expanding Executive: Originalism and the Living Presidency
Saikrishna Prakash, James Monroe Distinguished Professor of Law, University of Virginia Law School
Viking Theater

2025-26 Academic Year Opening Convocation

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 11:10:00 CDT

The First Commencement
Tarshia Stanley, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Boe Memorial Chapel

First Lecture for the Class of 2029

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 14:00:00 CDT

A Style Guide For Any Time
Brett DeFries, Assistant Professor of English
Boe Memorial Chapel

A St. Olaf Welcome

Sat, 30 Aug 2025 15:00:00 CDT

From the Faculty & Staff of St. Olaf College
Skoglund Center Auditorium

Reunion Weekend: All-Alumni Celebration

Sat, 31 May 2025 11:30:00 CDT

with President Susan Rundell Singer
Boe Memorial Chapel

Commencement Ceremony

Sat, 24 May 2025 13:00:00 CDT

St. Olaf Class of 2025
Campus Green

Baccalaureate Service for the Class of 2025

Sat, 24 May 2025 09:00:00 CDT

Matthew Marohl, College Pastor
Skoglund Auditorium

Campus Illumination Ceremony & Lighting

Fri, 23 May 2025 21:00:00 CDT

St. Olaf Class of 2025
Campus Green

Last Lecture and Parting Words for the Class of 2025

Thu, 22 May 2025 11:00:00 CDT

Andrea Conger, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology; Director of Public Health Studies
Kevin Larson, Director of Facilities
Boe Memorial Chapel

Rand Scholar Presentation

Wed, 07 May 2025 19:00:00 CDT

The Lovatnet Tsunamis: Natural Disasters and Norway
Naomi Meints '25, Duluth Minnesota
Sun Ballroom

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Mon, 05 May 2025 15:30:00 CDT

Learning to Disagree
John Inazu, Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion, Washington University in St. Louis
Viking Theater

Honors Day Convocation

Fri, 02 May 2025 10:10:00 CDT

Learning in College and Beyond
Mary Walczak, Professor of Chemistry
Boe Memorial Chapel

2025 Ole Cup Student Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 09:00:00 CDT

Business Pitches, Keynote Speaker, and Award Presentation
Viking Theater

St. Olaf Student Leadership Awards Celebration

Fri, 25 Apr 2025 17:00:00 CDT

Recognizing Achievement in Student Life
Black and Gold Ballrooms

St. Olaf's Next Chapter: An Alumni Conversation

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 12:00:00 CDT

with Susan Rundell Singer, President of the College
Matt Johnson '93, Board Chair, St. Olaf Alumni and Family Board
Viking Theater

Eighth Annual James M. May Lecture in Classics

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 19:00:00 CDT

BEN-HUR: Avatar of American Popular Consumer Culture
Jon Solomon, Robert D. Novak Chair and Professor of Classics, Medieval Studies, and Media and Cinema Studies, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Viking Theater

Guest Lecture

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 16:00:00 CDT

Commemorating St. Olaf's Mound: Navigation Norway's Dark Heritage in the 2030 Millennium
Torgrim Sneve Guttormsen, Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research
Tomson Hall 280

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 15:30:00 CDT

The Challenge of Criminal Justice Reform
Michelle S. Phelps, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Jake Monaghan, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Southern California
Viking Theater

Admitted Students Welcome

Fri, 11 Apr 2025 09:00:00 CDT

Chris George '94, Associate Vice President for Enrollment
Boe Memorial Chapel

Social Justice Award Public Address

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 19:30:00 CDT

Cultivating Solidarity: Living Our Values Amid Ongoing Crisis
Jadan Janak, Assistant Professor of History
Sun Ballroom

Latin American Studies Guest Lecture

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 19:00:00 CDT

Reflections of a Latin Americanist in Tumultuous Times
Jeane DeLaney, Executive Director, Field To Future
Viking Theater

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 17:30:00 CDT

A New Divide — The Possibility for Dialogue
Manu Meel, CEO of BridgeUSA
Viking Theater

TEDx St. Olaf 2025

Sat, 08 Mar 2025 14:00:00 CDT

"Perception"
The Lion's Pause

Black History Month Event

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 17:00:00 CDT

150 Years: How Far Have We Come?
Anton Armstrong '78, Tosdal Professor of Music, Conductor of the St. Olaf Choir
Viking Theater

2025 Kleber-Gery Lecture

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 19:00:00 CDT

Inflation in American Democracy
Carola Binder, Executive Committee and Associate Professor at University of Texas at Austin, School of Civic Leadership and Senior Fellow with Civitas at UT
Tomson Hall 280

Institute for Freedom and Community Undergraduate Conference Keynote Address

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 18:00:00 CDT

Making Sense of the 2024 Elections
Julia Azari, Marquette University
Viking Theater

42nd Annual Carl A. Mellby Lecture Series

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:30:00 CDT

The Role of Language in Reproducing Imagined 'Others': Critical Views from Anime and Manga
Rika Ito, Professor of Asian Studies
Viking Theater

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 15:30:00 CDT

The Prospect for Peace: Palestinian and Israeli Public Opinion
Dahlia Scheindlin and Khalil Shikaki
Tomson Hall 280

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 16:00:00 CDT

Mobilizing Young Voters in a Polarized Political Environment
D. Sunshine Hillygus, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, Duke University
Viking Theater

Latin American Studies Lecture

Thu, 17 Oct 2024 19:00:00 CDT

Race, Nation, and U.S. Imperialism: Understanding the History of Chinese Immigration and Exclusion in Latin America, 1890s-1940s
Benjamín Narváez, Associate Professor of History, University of Minnesota - Morris
Viking Theater

The Taylor Center for Equity and Inclusion

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 16:30:00 CDT

Grose Family Lecture Series: LGBTQIA+ People’s Participation in Sports
Katie Barnes '13, Award Winning ESPN Journalist
Viking Theater

William "Bill" Green '77 Legacy Luncheon

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 12:00:00 CDT

King's Dining Room, Buntrock Commons

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 15:30:00 CDT

The Path Forward on Immigration Policy
Andrea Flores, Vice President of Immigration Policy & Campaigns, FWD.us
Viking Theater

League of Women Voters Northfield Cannon Falls Candidate Forums

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 09:00:00 CDT

Viking Theater

Institute for Freedom and Community and Constitution Day Lecture

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 15:30:00 CDT

Freedom of Speech in a World of Misinformation
Jeff Kosseff, Associate Professor of Cybersecurity Law, United States Naval Academy
Viking Theater

2024-25 Academic Year Opening Convocation

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 11:10:00 CDT

Giving Attention Some Attention
William Sonnega, Patrick J. Quade Endowed Chair in Theater
Boe Memorial Chapel

First Lecture for the Class of 2028

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:00:00 CDT

The Surprise of Why, or How to Stumble Forward with Clumsy Questions
Anthony Bateza, Associate Professor of Religion and Department Chair of Race, Ethnic, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Boe Memorial Chapel

A St. Olaf Welcome

Sat, 31 Aug 2024 15:00:00 CDT

From the Faculty & Staff of St. Olaf College
Skoglund Center Auditorium

Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 10:45:00 CDT

Plenary Session: "What Nourishes You?"
Jason DeRose '97, Religion Correspondent, National Public Radio
Boe Memorial Chapel

Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 09:30:00 CDT

Plenary Session: "Sent"
Rev. Amanda Dahlseng-Monroe
Boe Memorial Chapel

Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:30:00 CDT

Plenary Session: "Nourished"
Rev. Sergio Rodriguez
Boe Memorial Chapel

Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 18:30:00 CDT

Plenary Session: "What Nourishes You?"
Emily King-Nobles '25, Nourishing Vocation Project Fellow
Boe Memorial Chapel

Conference on Worship, Theology, and the Arts

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 14:15:00 CDT

Plenary Session: "Called"
Rev. DaMisha McFarland-Pollock
Boe Memorial Chapel

League of Women Voters Northfield Cannon Falls Candidate Forums

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 18:00:00 CDT

Viking Theater

Reunion Weekend: All-Alumni Celebration

Sat, 01 Jun 2024 11:30:00 CDT

with President Susan Rundell Singer
Boe Memorial Chapel

Commencement Ceremony

Sat, 25 May 2024 13:00:00 CDT

St. Olaf Class of 2024
Campus Green

Baccalaureate Service for the Class of 2024

Sat, 25 May 2024 09:00:00 CDT

Feast of Pentecost
Katherine Fick, Associate College Pastor
Skoglund Auditorium

Campus Illumination Ceremony & Lighting

Fri, 24 May 2024 21:00:00 CDT

St. Olaf Class of 2024
Campus Green

Last Lecture and Parting Words for the Class of 2024

Thu, 23 May 2024 11:00:00 CDT

Jason Ripley, Associate Professor of Religion
Brandon Cash '16, Director of Student Activities
Boe Memorial Chapel

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Mon, 06 May 2024 16:30:00 CDT

Serving Up the Ingredients for Revolution: The 50+ Years of Lesbian and Queer Labour Behind American Feminist Restaurants, Cafes, and Coffeehouses
Alex Ketchum, Assistant Professor at the Institute for Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies of McGill University
Viking Theater

Honors Day & Honorary Degree Convocation

Fri, 03 May 2024 10:10:00 CDT

Philip Geier, Honorary Degree Recipient, Executive Director, Davis United World College Scholars Program
Boe Memorial Chapel

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Thu, 02 May 2024 16:30:00 CDT

Asian American Foodways: Culture, Identity, and Rhetoric
Jennifer Lin LeMesurier, Associate Professor of Writing and Rhetoric at Colgate University
Ann Kim, James Beard Award-Winning Chef and Restaurateur
Viking Theater

Taylor Center for Equity and Inclusion

Wed, 01 May 2024 17:00:00 CDT

A First-Generation Student's Rise to a Life of Public Service
Rep. Jay Xiong, State of Minnesota District 67B
Viking Theater

Rand Scholar Presentation

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 19:00:00 CDT

A New North Norwegian: Impacts of Scorched Earth on Identity in Finnmark
Elias Iversen '25, Skjanes, Norway
Sun Ballroom

2024 Ole Cup Student Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition

Sat, 27 Apr 2024 09:00:00 CDT

Business Pitches, Keynote Speaker, and Award Presentation
10th Anniversary Celebration
Viking Theater

St. Olaf Student Leadership Awards Celebration

Fri, 26 Apr 2024 17:00:00 CDT

Recognizing Achievement in Student Life
Black and Gold Ballrooms

2024 Kleber-Gery Lecture

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 19:00:00 CDT

Telling Your Story with Data
Aleszu Bajak, Director of Data Visualization, Urban Institute
Tomson Hall 280

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:30:00 CDT

“A Guide to Modern Cooking”: Tracing the History of Sudanese Women through an Arabic Home Economics Textbook
Heather Sharkey, University of Pennsylvania
Viking Theater

Seventh Annual James M. May Lecture in Classics

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:00:00 CDT

"Not in that Imaginary Republic of Plato’s": Rhetoric, Lies, and Morality in Cicero (and why he is not Donald Trump)
Jakob Wisse, Professor of Latin Language and Literature, Newcastle University, U.K.
Viking Theater

Social Justice Award Public Address

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 19:30:00 CDT

Creating Community Through Sound: An Invitation to Pursue Social Justice Work Here and Now
Rehanna Kheshgi, Assistant Professor of Music
Black and Gold Ballrooms

Taylor Center Presentation

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 15:30:00 CDT

Access to Education: An International Ole Experience
Mary Maker '23, International Alum
Viking Theater

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 16:30:00 CDT

Animal Source Foods: Global Perspectives on the Ideal Diet
Sarah L. McKune, Research Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Global Health and the Center for African Studies, University of Florida
Viking Theater

Admitted Students Welcome

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 09:00:00 CDT

Michael Kyle '85, Vice President for Enrollment and College Relations
Boe Memorial Chapel

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:30:00 CDT

What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World
Amanda Little, Professor of Journalism and Science Writing, Vanderbilt University
Viking Theater

Institute for Freedom and Community Annual Academic Freedom Workshop

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:30:00 CDT

Fearless Conversations in Divided Times
Mónica Guzmán, Senior Fellow for Public Practice, Braver Angels
Tomson Hall 280

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 16:30:00 CDT

The (R)evolution of Indigenous Foodways
Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota and Founder of The Sioux Chef and NATIFS
Tomson Hall 280

Black History Month Event

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:30:00 CDT

A New Era of Conductors
Anton Armstrong '78, Moderator
Henry L. Dorn
Joseph Jefferson
Chung Park
Viking Theater

Taylor Center Presentation

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:00:00 CDT

Rejection Violence and Revenge Through Social Media
Mary David, Chief Communications Officer, Stopping Traffic
Viking Theater

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Keynote

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 17:00:00 CDT

It Starts With Me
Damian Waite, Assistant Director of Multicultural, Gender and Sexuality
Duane Bogne '25, George Floyd Fellow and Eddie Phillips Scholar
Martin Olague '04, Director, Taylor Center for Equity and Inclusion
Jaden Janak, Assistant Professor of History
Black and Gold Ballrooms

41st Annual Carl A. Mellby Lecture Series

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 11:30:00 CDT

Personal Narratives: How the Stories We Hear and Tell Shape Who We Are
Grace Cho, Professor of Psychology
Viking Theater

Julia Watkin Memorial Kierkegaard Lecture

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 13:00:00 CDT

The Existential Need of Anxiety: Kierkegaard and the Current Mental Health Crisis
René Rosfort, Associate Professor, Søren Kierkegaard Research Centre, Faculty of Theology, University of Copenhagen
Virtual Event

Institute for Freedom and Community Conversation

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 15:30:00 CDT

Farmed Out: The Role of Lobbying in Agricultural Policymaking
Clare Brock, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Colorado State University
Viking Theater

German Department Lecture

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 15:45:00 CDT

Between State Mission and Everyday Life: Private Photographs of East Germans in Mozambique in the 1980s
Katrin Bahr, Centre College, Danville, Kentucky
Tomson Hall 280