WTAMU’s Distinguished Lecture Series was created in 2007 to enhance education in the classroom. A portion of the student activity fee funds the series, and committee members strive to select speakers who appeal to a broad spectrum of the student body. The mission of the Distinguished Lecture Series is to invite persons of national prominence to the WTAMU campus in order to expose our students to some of the most important issues of our times.
The Distinguished Lecture Series at WTAMU has brought some big names to campus through the years to inspire and enlighten students, faculty and the community. Topics are varied, and guest speakers have included Dr. Temple Grandin, Astronaut Mark Kelly, Humans of New York founder Brandon Stanton, President Bill Clinton, Maya Angelou, Karl Rove, Dr. Jared Diamond, Astronaut Sally Ride, and Steve Burns of "Blue's Clues." 
For more information about the Distinguished Lecture Series, contact:
Dr. Emily Kinsky
Head of the Distinguished Lecture Series Committee
(806) 651-2412
ekinsky@wtamu.edu
Upcoming DLS Events
Richard and Shirley Flint
"To and Fro without a Road Map: Which Way the Coronado Expedition Chose to Go, and Why"
Thursday, Oct. 6
7:00 p.m.
Hazlewood Lecture Hall, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum
Garry L. Nall Lecture in Western Studies
Center for the Study of the American West
Additional afternoon event: “Public Discussion: History, Archeology, Culture, with Richard and Shirley Flint”
Thursday, Oct. 6
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Blackburn Room, Cornette Library
Astronaut Dr. Ellen Ochoa
"An Evening with Dr. Ellen Ochoa"
Monday, Oct. 17
6:00 p.m.
Legacy Hall
Poet Judith Santopietro
"Latinx Poetry and the Stories of America"
Tuesday, Oct. 18
12:20-1:20 p.m.
Poetry and Writing Discussion
Blackburn Room, Cornette Library
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Poetry Reading
Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Center Recital Hall
George Bilgere
"The Dorothy Patterson Poetry Series Presents a Poetry Reading by George Bilgere"
Wednesday, Nov. 2
7-8:00 p.m.
Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Center Recital Hall
Book signing to follow
A Poetry Workshop with George Bilgere
Thursday, Nov. 3
12:30-1:15 p.m.
Classroom Center 301
Lunch served — open to any WT student, staff, or faculty member
Dr. Daniel Cohan
"Confronting Climate Gridlock: What Climate Solutions are Both Needed and Possible for the State of Texas?"
Tuesday, Nov. 8
12-1:00 p.m.
Legacy Hall
Past DLS Events
Dr. Rachel González-Martin
"Planning to Remember: Quinceañera and the Power of Community Memory"
Thursday, Sept. 15
6:45 p.m.
Hazlewood Lecture Hall, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum
Coffee and dessert will be served at a 6 p.m. reception
"First Generation Faculty: A Platica-Workshop"
Friday, Sept. 16
10:00 a.m.
Hazlewood Lecture Hall, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum
Workshop with students on navigating a university, choosing a major, and getting into research
"Spanish Literacy Translation in Motion"
with Lisa Dillman and Gregary J. Racz
April 4, 2022
Translation Workshop
CC 316
Translation Discussion and Reading
FAC Recital Hall
"What Happened to Steve?"
with Steve Burns, the first host of Blue's Clues
April 5, 2022
Legacy Hall and livestream
“Values of the Cow Country Told in Story, Verse and Song”
with cowboy poet Red Steagall
(part of CSAW’s Nall Lecture Series)
April 7, 2022
Legacy Hall and livestream
“Anti-Union Workers and Conservative Backlash Politics During the 1937 Sit-Down Strikes”
with Dr. Gregory J. Wood
April 14, 2022
Blackburn Room, Cornette Library
“Airborne Lasers: Making Methane Emissions Reduction Simple”
with Dr. Pete Roos
February 10, 2022
Legacy Hall
Hosted by the Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages
Co-hosted by the Center for the Study of the American West, Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business, College of Engineering, and Department of Life, Earth, and Environmental Sciences.
"Emil Bisttram, Dynamic Symmetry, and the Southwest"
with Dr. Ruth Pasquine
September 21, 2021
Zoom
Hosted by the Department of Art, Theatre and Dance, PPHM and CSAW
Lecture & Demonstration of Dynamic Symmetry
with Dr. Ruth Pasquine
September 22, 2021
Zoom and MMNH 189
Hosted by the Department of Art, Theatre and Dance
10th Annual Helen Piehl Distinguished Lecture
"Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorders: Exploring and Explaining the Link"
with Rick Lavoie
September 25, 2021
Zoom
Hosted by the Center for Learning Disabilities
"Peace and Friendship: An Alternative History of the American West"
with Stephen Aron
September 30, 2021
Legacy Hall and Zoom
Hosted by the Center for the Study of the American West
"Latinx Poetry and the Crises of America"
with Alessandra Narváez Varela & Casandra López
October 12, 2021
Zoom
Hosted by the Department of English, Philosophy, and Modern Languages, WT Spanish Program, CSAW
"Beyond Economic Impact: How Sports Events Contribute to Community"
with Dr. Jennifer Stoll
October 13, 2021
Fairly Group Club, Buffalo Stadium
Hosted by the Department of Sports and Exercise Science
"Mathemagics!: Math in the Digital Age"
with Arthur T. Benjamin
October 27, 2021
Zoom
Hosted by CIDM, Association of Latino Professionals (ALPFA) and Department of Mathematics
The Dorothy Patterson Poetry Series: Internationally known performance poet Ray McNiece
November 3, 2021
Legacy Hall
Hosted by the Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages
Faculty and Staff
The application form to request funding for speakers may be found on WTAcess > Forms > Miscellaneous > Distinguished Lecture Series
Deadlines for applications are April 1 for Fall semester, and October 1 for Spring semester.
Applications may be submitted prior to any deadline for either the Fall or Spring semester. Applications submitted prior to the deadlines will be given priority. Other applications may be considered on a rolling basis as funds are available.