Known for his hard-hitting journalism and prolific writing, noted historian and author Dr. Vijay Prashad will speak at the English Department’s 25th annual Richard M. Summers Memorial Lecture this week.

Prashad will give a presentation, “Letter From a Wound: The World We Live in Today,” Wednesday, Nov. 5, from 5 to 6:15 p.m. in Libbey Hall. The free, public event will be followed by a reception, where he will sign books.

Prashad is the author of 16 books, including his most recent Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South, in which he analyzes neoliberalism, the World Social Forum, the Latin American revolutionary revival, and alternatives to the neoliberal project.

“Most of the books he has written have been very influential,” said Dr. Parama Sarkar, UT assistant professor of English. “He has given us new ways to think about race and class, both within a U.S. and a global context. Plus, he is a really engaging speaker.”

Sarkar’s graduate seminar, Postcolonialism and the City, has been studying some of Prashad’s work, including his seminal The Karma of Brown Folk. According to Sarkar, it is important to provide adequate historical and social context when studying postcolonial literature, which she believes Prashad’s work does.

Currently, Prashad is working on two books, No Free Left: The Futures of Indian Communism and Dispatches From Greater Arabia, based on his reporting from Arabia in 2003 through 2014.

Prashad also writes for various online and print publications, including British newspaper The Guardian, political magazine Counterpunch and English-language Indian daily newspaper The Hindu. He is also a regular presence on the show “Democracy Now!”

In 2013-14, Prashad was the Edward Said Chair at the American University of Beirut. Currently, he is the George and Martha Kellner Chair in South Asian History and Professor of International Studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.

“His writing deconstructs a lot of social and cultural myths that we hold dear,” Sarkar said. “He helps us go beyond the surface narrative and question our underlying assumptions about race and class. His incisive analysis might make the reader uncomfortable at times, but, ultimately helps us become critical thinkers.”

The Richard M. Summers Memorial Lecture is an annual event that honors Summers, who was a respected member of the Department of English and served as director of freshman English and as an adviser for both graduate and undergraduate students from 1966 until his death in 1988.

For more information, contact the English Department at 419.530.2318.

Carol Goss is selling hope — for free.

Goss, an advanced leadership fellow at the Harvard University School of Business, will share a free, public talk — “No Longer Stuck in Place: Hope for the Future” — as the first speaker in the 2014-15 season of the Brothers on the Rise, Alpha Phi Boule and Association of Black Faculty and Staff Lecture Series.

Her presentation will be held Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Ingman Room.
The subject of hope, particularly as it applies to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, is familiar territory for Goss, who retired last year after 15 years with Detroit’s Skillman Foundation, the last nine as president of that storied nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the future of Motor City children.

“I’ve mentored a lot of young people, given them a lot of advice on how to be successful, and I believe that older adults with experience should find ways to share,” said Goss, whose career in philanthropy also includes stints with the Stuart Foundation in San Francisco and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Mich.

A call to action will be central to her speech.

“My message is a message of hope,” Goss, who grew up in the Motor City, said. “If the students who listen will work hard, if they’ll display grit and determination, if they really see themselves in the future and work toward that goal, they don’t have to be fated to a life of poverty.
“Success is tangible, and it can be achieved.”

The event is co-sponsored by the Black Student Union, Latino Student Union and the Association for the Advancement of African American Women.

Rob Okun, feminist advocate, editor and author, will visit The University of Toledo Monday, Nov. 3, to spread the message of profeminism and social justice.

The free, public event will take place in the Student Union Auditorium from 7 to 8 p.m.

There also will be a resource fair before the event at 6 p.m. The resource fair will include 15 organizations from UT, community and Bowling Green Sate University.

Since 1997, Okun has been the editor of Voice Male, a magazine that gives a range of male perspectives from childhood, adult, fatherhood and social classes through essays, commentaries and stories. The mission of the magazine is to explore issues relevant to men’s development and health in an effort to decrease the isolation and violence that plagues part of the male population.

Okun also has published a book, Voice Male: The Untold Story of the Profeminist Men’s Movement, a collection of more than 100 stories, commentaries and essays previously published in the magazine.

Additionally, he has spoken at a number of colleges and universities, including Boston College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Towson University, Tulane University and the University of Massachusetts.

“We are really excited to have Rob Okun come to our campus because we feel that there is a lot of energy on college campuses about this issue,” Dr. Stanley Edwards, director of the UT Counseling Center, said.

“Rob has done a lot of research, written a book, and is a part of numerous organizations that focus on the profeminist men’s movement and how men can get involved in the mission to eliminate sexual violence,” Edwards said. “We felt he would complement the efforts of our Sexual Assault and Prevention Program, and connect well with the University community.”

After his talk, Okun will sign books in the Student Union Auditorium, an event sponsored by the People Called Women bookstore, a local feminist bookstore.

For more information about Okun and his book, contact him at 413.687.8171 or rob@voicemalemagazine.org.

For more information about the event, contact Michael Desposito, graduate assistant in the UT Counseling Center, at 419.530.2426 or michael.desposito@rockets.utoledo.edu.

The University of Toledo College of Business and Innovation and Fifth Third Bank will present a free economic outlook program Tuesday, Nov. 4, featuring nationally recognized investment expert Jeff Korzenik.

The free, public program will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Driscoll Alumni Center Balch-Clapp Auditorium (Room 1019).

Korzenik, a 28-year investment industry veteran who is a frequent guest on CNBC and Bloomberg television, is the chief investment strategist for Fifth Third Bank.

During the presentation, Korzenik will discuss the latest market trends, opportunities and strategies for the economy, and how both businesses and investors can benefit.

“The UT College of Business and Innovation is pleased to partner with Fifth Third Bank in presenting this unique learning opportunity to the campus and business communities,” said Dr. Gary Insch, dean of the UT College of Business and Innovation. “Mr. Korzenik’s expertise is regularly sought out by major business media such as The Wall Street Journal, Businessweek and Barron’s, and we are fortunate to have him come to our campus to share his unique insights.”

Korzenik’s articles on economics and public policy have been published in Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The Boston Globe and other major periodicals.

In addition to regular speaking appearances at conferences and public events, Jeff was invited to testify on Capitol Hill as an expert witness on the use of commodity indexes by pensions and other institutional investors.

Korzenik earned both a bachelor of arts degree in economics and a certificate of proficiency in Near Eastern studies from Princeton University. A passionate supporter of cultural organizations, he serves as a trustee of the Goodman Theatre, a member of the President’s Leadership Council of the Field Museum, and as an overseer of the Peabody Essex Museum.

The University of Toledo’s monthlong annual observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history will draw to a close with a poetic finale.

Best-selling poets Carl Phillips and Mark Doty will round out UT’s observance of LGBTQA History Month with a poetry reading and book signing Thursday, Oct. 30, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Student Union Room 2592.

Spectrum President LaVelle Ridley said he anticipates the poets to discuss gay identity and how it plays a role in different life experiences.

“From listening to their poems and discussion, I hope students witness how one’s personal identity, whether it be sexual, racial, etcetera, can shape how they decide to express themselves in all spheres of life,” he said. “I also want students to realize how successful LGBT figures can be in the professional world, even the literary one.”

Phillips is a professor of English and African and Afro-American studies at Washington University in St. Louis. He’s authored several collections of poems, including The Art of Daring: Risk, Restlessness, Imagination; Silverchest; and Quiver and Arrows: Selected Poems, 1986-2006. His collection The Rest of Love won the Thom Gunn Award for Gay Male Poetry.

Doty has written a number of collections of poetry, including Sweet Machine and Paragon Park, and has also won the 2008 National Book Award for Fire to Fire: New and Selected Poems. His personal memoir, Dog Years, was a New York Times bestseller in 2007. Doty won the T.S. Elliot Prize for his collection My Alexandria, which focuses on the AIDS epidemic and offers comfort to those diagnosed with HIV. The award is Britain’s most significant annual award for poetry, and Doty was the first American to receive it.

“Poetry is a great way to express life experiences and obstacles, but it isn’t the only way,” Ridley said. “As an English major, I personally believe that there is so much power behind the written word that anyone can tap into. Historically, many LGBTQ figures have utilized poetry or fiction to not only express themselves, but carve out a space for writers like themselves.”

In addition to these speakers, Spectrum has been promoting LGBTQA awareness all month with events like the Drag/Talent Show and a screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

“LGBTQA History Month is important because it gives members of the community a chance to celebrate ourselves, appreciate our diversity, and work toward achieving goals in society as a whole,” Ridley said. “The fact that we are able to celebrate our heritage month here at UT signals the campus’ drive toward diversity and inclusion.”

For more information, contact Ridley at lavelle.ridley@rockets.utoledo.edu.

Dr. Nagi Naganathan, interim president for The University of Toledo, will deliver the State of the University Address on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

The address will being at 11 a.m. in Doermann Theatre, located in University Hall on UT’s Main Campus. Guest parking will be available in the grass lot between Drummond and Goddard roads.

A reception with light refreshments will follow.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Oct. 29, 2014)
The Blade (Oct. 30, 2014)
The Independent Collegian (Nov. 5, 2014)

Yomi Abiola, a Nigerian model, will give a presentation entitled “Beauty & Body Image – Cultivating the Whole Person” as part of The University of Toledo Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women’s Lecture and Film Series.

The free, public event is Thursday, Oct. 30 at 5:30 p.m. in UT’s Doermann Theatre, located in University Hall.

Abiola is the founder of Stand Up for Fashion (STUFF), a global platform that promotes corporate social responsibility within the fashion industry. STUFF offers educational programs and consultation services, with plans to work with major industry figures to adopt a course of action for improving the fashion world’s impact and image.

She is a model, journalist and activist and was the first African face for Maybelline cosmetics. Abiola has appeared in Vogue Italia, British Elle and Harper’s Bazaar. She is a graduate of Columbia School of Journalism and Sciences-Po Paris.

Abiola believes that the fashion industry’s global scope positions it perfectly to find and promote solutions to problems like fair pay, workplace safety, women’s health, diversity and environmental sustainability.

For more information about the lecture, contact Emily Kizer at 419.530.7232 or emily.kizer@utoledo.edu.

For more information about STUFF, visit standupforfashion.com.

The University of Toledo College of Nursing will host the eighth annual Dorothy Hussain Distinguished Lectureship Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Dr. George E. Thibault, president of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation and chairman of the board of the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, will be the keynote speaker at the event that will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. in Collier Building Room 1000 on UT’s Health Science Campus.

Thibault will give a lecture titled “The Future of Interprofessional Health Care,” and will speak about concepts stated in a recent report from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation published in June titled “Partnering With Patients, Families and Communities: An Urgent Imperative for Health Care.”

The report expresses a new way to improve health care by integrating patients, families and communities in the planning and implementation of health care. This would involve health-care educators and providers to work collaboratively with patients to determine policies and priorities, set agendas, and help guide and implement necessary reforms in both clinical practice and health professions training and education.

Thibault is the Daniel D. Federman Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Medical Education at Harvard Medical School. He serves on the board of the New York Academy of Sciences, the Institute on Medicine as a Profession, the Lebanese American University and the President’s White House Fellows Commission.

He previously served as vice president of clinical affairs at Partners Healthcare System in Boston and director of the Academy at Harvard Medical School.

The free, public lecture is named after the late Dorothy Gladys Hussain, whose professional career spanned 32 years as a staff nurse and critical care nurse at the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital. She was known for patient advocacy and championing patients’ rights.

Additionally, she was recognized as a conscientious nurse who taught and mentored a generation of young nurses, medical students and residents.

She was honored twice with the Nursing Excellence Award for her passion for the profession and her willingness to deliver beyond the call of duty.

Hussain passed away in 2006 at age 62 of ovarian cancer. The lectureship was established in her honor through the Hussain Family Fun at the Toledo Community Foundation.

Media Coverage
The Blade (Oct. 27, 2014)
The Blade (Oct. 28, 2014)

Twenty outstanding alumni from around the world will be recognized Friday, Oct. 24, at The University of Toledo Alumni Association’s Homecoming Gala.

The event, which annually draws capacity crowds to the Student Union Auditorium, will begin at 6 p.m.

The program features outstanding graduates from each of the University’s colleges, as well as the recipients of the Alumni Association’s highest honors: the Gold T, the Blue T and the Edward H. Schmidt Outstanding Young Alum.

Benjamin Tran of Dayton, Ohio, is the 2014 recipient of the Schmidt Award, which is presented to a graduate who is 35 years of age or younger in recognition of outstanding achievement in his or her field of endeavor.

A 2005 graduate of the College of Engineering, Tran is an electronics engineer at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. He was honored earlier this year with the National Security and International Affairs Medal for creating and deploying a new aerial sensor system to help Army and Special Forces units detect and destroy deadly improvised explosive devices.

His invention has been placed on unmanned aerial vehicles and is the first to include radio frequency sensors in combination with electro-optical and infrared sensors, which has greatly expanded situational and operational awareness. Prior to his breakthrough, IEDs had accounted for two-thirds of the casualties to U.S. coalition forces in Afghanistan. For his efforts, Tran was recognized at the White House last month as a recipient of the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal, which is the United States’ most prestigious award dedicated to honoring this country’s civil servants.

Dr. Nina McClelland of Ann Arbor, Mich., is this year’s recipient of the Gold T, which is presented to a graduate in recognition of outstanding career accomplishment.

McClelland, who completed a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1951 and a master’s in chemistry in 1963, is recognized globally as one of the most influential people in environmental science. For 15 years, she served as president, chief executive officer and chair of the board of trustees of the National Sanitation Foundation, which now has offices and laboratories in 40 countries.

Former chair of the American Chemical Society, it was McClelland who developed a Water Quality Index to report water quality in lakes, rivers and streams. In time, states and water authorities were required to annually report water quality to Congress using the index. After the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed, she developed a standard adopted by the government regarding chemicals used to treat drinking water as well as one covering all products that come in contact with drinking water via its treatment, storage and distribution.

Upon her retirement from the National Sanitation Foundation, she formed a consulting firm whose clients included the World Bank. From 2008 to 2011, she served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. McClelland was awarded an honorary PhD by the University in 2003.

The Blue T recipients are Jim and Nancy Lapp of Toledo. This award is presented to an Alumni Association member who has made outstanding contributions to the progress and development of the Alumni Association and the University.

The Lapps — husband and wife — are proud graduates. Jim earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1973 and a master of business administration degree in 1974 from the College of Business and Innovation, while Nancy completed her bachelor’s in 1974 and was awarded a master’s in 1977. Combined, the pair spent some 65 years as employees at UT, with Jim serving a variety of administrative positions in undergraduate admissions and in what is now the College of Adult and Lifelong Learning, while Nancy served as coordinator of undergraduate advising in the College of Business and Innovation.

The Lapps have given freely to the University of their time, talent and treasure. Nancy is a charter member of Women & Philanthropy, an organization devoted to providing lasting assistance to the University, and she became that organization’s first lifetime member. Jim served for two years as president of the UT Retirees Association, during which time UTRA was recognized as the Alumni Association’s Affiliate of the Year. The couple has a pillar in the William and Carol Koester Alumni Pavilion, have supported a variety of departments, including athletics, and they have endowed a scholarship in the College of Business and Innovation. Last year, they were recognized at the community-wide National Philanthropy Day as UT’s choice for the Outstanding Community Volunteer Award.

A very limited number of seats remain for the Homecoming Gala. Tickets are $30 and $11 for children.

Call the UT Office of Alumni Relations at 419.530.2585 (ALUM) for more information or to make reservations.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (Oct. 24, 2014)
The Blade (Oct. 30, 2014)

It’s time to remember the old days and look back on good times: Nostalgia will rule at The University of Toledo’s “A Blast From the Past” Homecoming.

Make some new memories at events that pay tribute to the past. Homecoming week activities planned for this year’s celebration include:

Friday, Oct. 24

• Homecoming Alumni Gala and Awards Ceremony, 6 p.m., Student Union Auditorium. The Alumni Association will present this year’s Blue T, Gold T and Edward H. Schmidt Young Alum Award, and college and affiliate award winners will be honored. Tickets are $30 per person, $11 for children. For more information or to make a reservation, contact the Alumni Office at 419.530.ALUM (2586) or shirley.grzecki@utoledo.edu.

Saturday, Oct. 25

• The Edward C. and Helen G. Schmakel Homecoming Parade, 9:30 a.m. Sponsored by Blue Key, the parade will begin at West Bancroft Street and go to Middlesex Drive to Hughes Drive to Cheltenham Road and back on West Bancroft Street.

• Alumni Tailgate, 11 a.m., William and Carol Koester Alumni Pavilion. Stop by for free hot dogs, chips and pop; beer, wine, bloody marys and Rocket fuel (vodka mixed drink) will be available for purchase with proper ID. And there’ll be live music by Five O’Clock Rush.

• Toledo vs. UMass Homecoming Game, 2 p.m., Glass Bowl. See you at the game! Cheer on the Rockets and see the crowning of the Homecoming king and queen. Tickets are $25 for reserved seating; $12.50 for children 12 and younger; half off for UT faculty and staff; and free for UT students with IDs. For tickets, call 419.530.GOLD (4653).

Sunday, Oct. 26

• Golden Anniversary Class of 1964 Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Stone Oak Country Club, 100 Stone Oak Blvd., Holland. Cost is $25. For more information, call the Alumni Office at 419.530.ALUM (2586).

For more information, go to utoledo.edu/homecoming/events.html or call the UT Alumni Relations Office at 419.530.ALUM (2586) or the UT Office of Student Involvement at 419.530.4944.

Media Coverage
13 ABC (Oct. 24, 2014)
The Blade (Oct. 30, 2014)