Lectures and Events

Lectures: The Gerald R. Ford Institute sponsors three to four lectures each semester covering a variety of current political and policy issues. We often join with other Institutes and departments on campus to provide interdisciplinary speaker topics which are open to the public and free of charge. Each Ford member is required to attend at least two lectures per semester, and has the option to attend a small, pre-lecture dinner with our featured speaker. The lists below also include other campus lectures that fit the mission of the Ford Institute.

Director's Luncheons: Several times per semester, the Ford Institute hosts casual lunch talks from noon to 1:00 given by local VIPs, alums, and college professors on current topics of interest. We provide pizza for a small group of students to interact with our guest, ask questions, and explore careers and ideas. Attendance is completely based on student interest.

WINTER/SPRING SEMESTER 2008

LECTURES

Ford Institute Lecture
April 3, 2008
7:00 p.m. in the Towsley Lecture Hall of the Norris Center
Judge Amy Krause, Chairperson for the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board; adjunct professor for the Thomas Cooley Law School; recently recognized statewide for her outstanding work in domestic violence prevention with the State Bar of Michigan's Champion of Justice Award.

Director's Luncheon
March 31, 2008
12:00 p.m., Ford Library
Kristen Verderame, British Telecom. Will discuss internship opportunities with Ford students.

Ford Institute Special Event
March 28, 2008
6:00 p.m., Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids, MI.
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Gerald R. Ford Institute at Albion College. Keynote Speaker, The Honorable William Coleman, Secretary of Transportation under President Ford, will address attendees at 7:30 p.m. Host Committee Members: Martin J. Allen Jr., Chairman Emeritus, Gerald R. Ford Foundation; Dennis Cawthorne ('62), Chairman, Gerald R. Ford Institute Visiting Committee; Jeffrey Battershall ('86); Joseph ('78) and Donna Calvaruso; Peter Christ ('55); Adam Dontz ('03); Art ('71) and Elizabeth Kale; Jeffrey Ott ('86); Al and Paula Pheley; Mark Schauer ('84); Joe Schwarz.

Michigan Canadian Studies Roundtable
March 28, 2008
8:00-3:00 p.m., Albion College, Baldwin Hall
Annual meeting. Issues to be discussed: Border issues, Canadian Literature, Health, Quebec, Immigration, Great Lakes etc.
 

Ford Institute Lecture
March 18, 2008
7:00 p.m. in Olin Hall room 112
Chief Justice Cliff Taylor, Michigan Supreme Court. A native of Flint, Justice Taylor was appointed to the Michigan Supreme Court in August 1997 by Governor John Engler to fill the seat vacated by retiring Justice Dorothy Comstock Riley. In 1998, Justice Taylor ran and was elected to fill the balance of Justice Riley's term. Justice Taylor was re-elected to a full eight-year term in 2000. In January 2005, he was elected by his colleagues to serve as Chief Justice of the Court.

Ford Institute Lecture
February 20, 2008
7:00 p.m. in the Towsley Lecture Hall of the Norris Center
Stem Cell Research Panel: discussion led by Gary Dunbar, PhD.; Joe Schwarz, MD; Jim Eliason, Ph.D.; and Cathy Coury.

Ford Institute Lecture
January 31, 2008
7:00 p.m. in Goodrich Chapel
Civil Rights Activist, Juanita Abernathy, addresses the College and community for Albion College's Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation.

FALL SEMESTER 2007

LECTURES

Ford Institute Lecture
November 14, 2007
7:00 p.m. in the Towsley Lecture Hall of the Norris Center
Michigan Secretary of State, Terri Lynn Land.

Michigan Secretary of State Ms. Terri Lynn Land visits the Albion college campus. Pictured from left: Donna Calvaruso; Sean Rassel '09; Secretary Land; Al Pheley, Director of the Ford Institute

Ford Institute Lecture, Aldrich Lecture Series
November 8, 2007
7:00 p.m. in the Wendell Will Room at the Albion College Library
Dr. Finkelman, Distinguished Professor of Law and Public Policy at the Albany Law School. "Affirmative Action for the Master Class: Understanding the Proslavery constitution."

Ford Institute Lecture
September 25, 2007
7:00 p.m. in Norris 101
Allie Judson '08, Sharon J. Rees Fellowship for Women in Leadership (Recipient)

Ford Institute Lecture
September 11, 2008
2:00 p.m. in Norris 104
Gail Garbrandt, Department of Political Science at the University of Akron. "Female Political Leadership" (Sponsored by First Year Experience, Political Science Department, Women and Gender Studies and the Gerald R. Ford Institute)

Ford Institute Lecture
August 27, 2007
7:00 p.m. in Goodrich Chapel
Fareed Zakaria at
Opening Convocation.

Newsweek International editor Fareed Zakaria delivers Albion College’s 2007 William K. Stoffer Lecture as part of the College’s Opening Convocation

DIRECTOR'S LUNCHEONS:

September 27, 2007
Lise Sulliman, Director of Admissions for Ohio Northern Law School

September 28, 2007
Don Wright, Distinguished Teaching Professor (Emeritus). "Suffering from 'The Nerves': The Stresses on Gambian Youth Dealing with a Modernizing World."

October 3, 2007
James Baker, Western Kentucky University. "Experiences in the Canadian Parliament."

December 7, 2007
Doug A. R. Goudie ('92), Director of International Trade Policy, National Association of Manufacturers.

SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS:

Albion Public Safety Chief Eric Miller serves a heaping scoop of ice cream to a Ford student. Students and Albion community leaders enjoyed an evening of idea sharing for community involvement and improvement at the beginning of the fall semester.

Every Semester
Mentor / Adopt-A-Classroom at Harrington Elementary School in Albion, MI.

Volunteer in the City of Albion at Kids-N-Stuff Interactive Children's Museum

Habitat for Humanity home building

Service on the City of Albion Boards and Commissions

And a whole lot more!

September 6, 2007
Get the Scoop on Albion, Ice Cream Social with Albion Government and Community Leaders.

September 14, 2007
Students from the Institute are invited to hear Vice-President Dick Cheney speak at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids

Students, Faculty, Staff and members of the Albion College Administration have their photo taken after hearing Vice President Dick Cheney speak at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum on 9/14/2007

September 16, 2007
First Year Retreat for Ford Students
University of Michigan, Challenge Program. Ann Arbor, Michigan.

First year students balance on a log while practicing their communication skills at the University of Michigan's Challenge Program

September 21-23, 2007
The City of Albion's 41st Annual Festival of the Forks; Students from the Gerald R. Ford and Carl A. Gerstacker Institutes volunteer at the Festival.

Ford Institute volunteer, Noel Niles at the kids tent and by passing out surveys for the Festival-goers.

Follow this link for more activities from the past with the Gerald Ford Institute: http://www.albion.edu/ford/past_activities.asp