FORUM SERIES

The Rockford University Forum Series presents speakers in a variety of disciplines who have achieved success both nationally and locally, and performers of stature in the arts. The Forum Series’ central programming focus is geared toward students, while also seeking to connect campus to the local community. Lectures and performances are concerned with intellectual, social, and cultural matters of general interest to deepen and broaden students’ education at Rockford University and enhance the rich culture of Rockford.

Forum Series presenters and events cover a broad spectrum of scope and genre. Events have included the Tibetan lamas from Drepung Loseling Monastery and their creation of a mandala—a sacred sand painting; Holocaust survivor Zev Kedem, the compelling speaker who worked with Steven Spielberg on the movie Schindler’s List; Oscar Arias, former president of Costa Rica and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on a Central American Peace Plan; quadriplegic Olympic bronze medal rugby player Mark Zupan; film documentarian Barbara Martinez Jitner, who produced “La Frontera;” Davar Ardalan, author of “My Name is Iran;” and traditional University events like the President’s Opening Convocation, Charter Day Convocation, and theater productions.

Admission is free for students* but tickets are required for Performing Arts and Sports events. Gallery shows, Performing Arts Senior Seminars, and Recitals do not require tickets. Please contact the Box Office at 815-226-4100 for additional information. To request and reserve tickets, please email BoxOffice@rockford.edu.

*Except mainstage theatre performances for the general public (tickets can be purchased by visiting ticketor.com/rockforduniversity; Rockford University students receive one free ticket to each Performing Arts event upon request with valid ID by visiting the box office or emailing boxoffice@rockford.edu. 

The Forum Series presents both Home Grown and Marquee events on the Rockford University campus in multiple locations. Please refer to the campus map for help finding venues if needed. https://www.rockford.edu/about/campusmap/

For further information on some of the events below and additional athletic schedules, please use one of the links below:

-Gallery shows https://www.rockford.edu/artslectures/artgallery/

-Performing Arts Programs https://www.rockford.edu/artslectures/performingarts/

-Athletics Department, teams, and team schedule info https://rockfordregents.com/index.aspx

Fall 2024 Lineup

Chasing a Dream: Girls and Women in Baseball
Sunday, September 8, 2024, 4-6pm
Howard Colman Library, Rockford University

This will be the Grand Opening of the women’s baseball artifacts exhibition on display at Rockford University’s Colman Library until mid-December. Please check library hours for access. This exhibit is sponsored by the International Women’s Baseball Center (IWBC) which is working to build a museum and community center adjacent to Beyer Stadium, the original home of the Rockford Peaches.

Constitution Day Celebration
“Put Down Your Boxing Gloves When Talking Politics”
September 9, 2024, 7pm
Fisher Chapel, Rockford University

On September 17, 1787, the Constitution of the United States was signed in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania state legislature—the same site that witnessed the signing of the American Declaration of Independence. This year is the 237th anniversary of that historic occasion.

Rockford University will celebrate Constitution Day with a program co-hosted by Womanspace, League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and the Rockford chapter of the American Association of University Women.

This program explores engaging in civil political discourse from multiple perspectives. Moderated by the Rockford LWV of Rockford and Womanspace, the panel includes: Catherine Forslund, Rockford University Professor of US History, offering historical context on contentious presidential campaigns; Ron Lee, Rockford University Political Science Professor sharing insights about having a political conversations in a civil, courteous manner; Barb Laimins, Chair of the League of Women Voters Illinois Misinformation Task Force describing the goals and scope of their efforts; and Charles Stone, State Coordinator for Braver Angels of Illinois (which seeks to depolarize American politics) sharing wisdom for more cooperation and community. Following the panel discussion, there will be a “Meet and Greet” with candidates running in the November 5 election who are in attendance. These candidates will be encouraged to share information (for just a few minutes) about themselves and their political ideas. The program is free, but please register by September 7 at womanspace-rockford.org or by calling 815-877-0118.

Performing Arts Music Recital                                      Monday, September 16, 4pm
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

This event is free and open to the public.

Forum Marquee Event
Peace with Earth, the Rights of Nature and a Green Path Ahead
Winona LaDuke
Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 7pm
Fisher Chapel

A Native American activist, Harvard-educated economist and author, Winona LaDuke has devoted her life to advocating for indigenous people’s rights; environmental justice; women’s and children’s rights; rural development, economic, food, and energy sovereignty.
In 1989, she founded the White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP), a reservation-based land acquisition, environmental advocacy, and cultural organization and one of the largest reservation-based nonprofits in the country.

In 1994, LaDuke was nominated by Time Magazine as one of America’s 50 most promising leaders under the age of 40. She was awarded The Thomas Merton Award in 1996, The Biha Community Service Award in n 1997, The Ann Bancroft Award for Women’s Leadership Fellowship, and The Reebok Human Rights Award (which she used to begin the White Earth Land Recovery Project). LaDuke was a two-time Green Party running mate for Ralph Nader in 1996 and 2000, and she is an international thought leader and lecturer in climate justice, renewable energy and environmental justice, plus an advocate for protecting Indigenous plants and heritage foods from patenting and genetic engineering.

Today, LaDuke lives and works on the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota, and she is active with multiple organizations. Her latest effort is Winona’s Hemp and Heritage, a farm and nonprofit agency whose mission is to create an Indigenous women-led economy that is kind to the Earth.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
October 3-6, 2024 (Thursday-Saturday 7:30 pm; Sunday 2 pm)
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center
Director, Prof. Marissa Barnathan
In this musical, an eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves a champion! At least the losers get a juice box.
THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE
Is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com

Curb Appeal: The International Hand-Painted Sign Collection of Brad Arsenault

On Display: September 9th – October 18th
Reception: Friday, October 4th, 6:00-8:00PM
Collector Talk: Friday, October 4th, 7:00PM
Brad Arsenault began his career in international development as a Peace Corps volunteer in Gabon in Central Africa more than 30 years ago, where he first encountered the vibrant art form of hand-painted signs. His humanitarian and international development work over the past 25 years across Asia and Africa deepened his appreciation for these unique pieces of visual communication. Through his collection, Arsenault showcases the artistry and cultural significance of hand-painted signs, celebrating their role in everyday life and their rarity in the age of modern printing technology. Arsenault’s collection of hand-painted signs varies widely in passion and artistry, each work offering a unique take into the vibrant world of commercial art around the globe. While the pieces were created to attract customers to various essential services, these signs are more than just functional—they are cultural artifacts shaped by local resident artists. With the rise of modern printing technology, hand-painted signs began disappearing by the wayside. The signs convey universal themes: physical well-being, hard work of expertise and local knowledge, and the importance of physical attractiveness as a source of dignity and pride. This collection serves as a tribute to the creativity and functionality of these handcrafted works, capturing the essence of ‘curb appeal’ to draw clients into a particular craftsperson to support a critical need.

Forum Marquee Event
“The Intersection of Talent and Passion”
K. Renee Horton, Ph.D.
Physicist and Airworthiness Deputy at NASA
Friday, October 11, 2024, 7pm
Maddox Theatre

Dr. Horton is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and works in the community for STEM education and STEM outreach. She believes in changing the face of STEM and is the founder of Unapologetically Being, Inc. a nonprofit for advocacy and mentoring in STEM.

In her lecture, Dr. Horton will explore the intersection of science research, life’s struggles, and a career in STEM, and focusing on the theme of overcoming a disability. Through personal anecdotes and scientific accomplishments, we will delve into the challenges faced highlighting the power of determination and perseverance in overcoming obstacles. Join us as we discuss how resilience, innovation, and a passion for discovery can lead to success and inspire positive change in the world.

Women’s Soccer Senior Day
Saturday October 12, Ceremony before the game
Game at 3:30pm vs. St. Norbert College
Sam Greeley Field, Rockford University

Help recognize those senior students playing their last home season by coming out to cheer them on!

Performing Arts Music Recital                                      Monday, October 14, 4pm
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

This event is free and open to the public.

Women’s Volleyball Senior Day
Saturday, October 19, Ceremony time at noon
Game at noon vs. Alverno College
Rockford University Seaver Center

Help recognize those senior students playing their last home season by coming out to cheer them on!

Forum Marquee Event
“Design, Luck, and the Rockford Peaches: All Things Are Connected”
Barbara Gregorich
Wednesday, October 23, 2024, 7pm
Fisher Chapel

Barbara Gregorich, author of the 1993 book, Women at Play: The Story of Women in Baseball, will speak on how and why she decided to research women baseball players and how her research for the historically significant, but always elusive, Maud Nelson led her across fifty years and half of the US—inevitably culminating with Rose Gacioch and the magnificent Rockford Peaches.

Performing Arts Senior Seminars
Saturday, October 26, 2024, 7:30-TBD
Beginning in Cheek Theatre, ending in Maddox Theatre, Rockford University

FREE TO ATTEND. In partial fulfillment of the BFA in Acting and Musical Theatre, the students are required to create and perform a primarily one-person production. The purpose of this project is for the student to display the synthesis of the knowledge they have acquired from their course work in performing arts and other liberal arts classes. These productions must be centered on a single theme, idea or composer. Each student is responsible for the selection or creation of all material within his or her own performance.

Men’s Soccer Senior Day
Sunday October 27 Ceremony before the game
Game at 1pm vs. Lakeland University
Sam Greeley Field, Rockford University

Help recognize those senior students playing their last home season by coming out to cheer them on!

Football Senior Day
Saturday November 2, Ceremony around 12:05pm
Game at 1pm vs. Eureka College

Sam Greeley Field, Rockford University

Help recognize those senior students playing their last home season by coming out to cheer them on!

Performing Arts Classical Recital                                      Monday, November 4, 4pm
Fisher Chapel

This event is free and open to the public. *Note this show is in Fisher Chapel, not Maddox Theatre.

**POSTPONED UNTIL 2025** Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar—Forum Marquee Event
“Latino History and the Future of the United States”
Dr. Geraldo Cadava
Professor of History and Latina and Latino Studies at Northwestern University
*Date will be rescheduled*
Fisher Chapel

Professor Cadava is also a Contributing Writer for The New Yorker and is the author of The Hispanic Republican: The Shaping of An American Political Identity, from Nixon to Trump (Ecco, 2020), and Standing On Common Ground: The Making of a Sunbelt Borderland (Harvard, 2013). At present, he’s writing a history of Latinos over the past 500 years, tentatively titled A Thousand Bridges, to be published by Crown in 2026. Professor Cadava hosts the podcast Writing Latinos and is co-Editor-in-Chief of the online magazine Public Books.

Much Ado About Nothing
November 21-24, 2024 (Thursday-Saturday, 7:30 pm; Sunday 2 pm)
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center
Director, Prof. Deborah Mogford
Love, deceit, and misunderstandings abound in this witty and charming comedy by William Shakespeare. Beatrice and Benedick, two strong-willed and witty friends, must confront the complexities of relationships as they face the blurred lines between truth and deception. Meanwhile, Claudio and Hero’s budding love is put to the test as rumors and lies threaten to destroy their bond. Will love prevail, or will the whispers and rumors of the day destroy the bonds of affection? Dive into this timeless tale of romance, humor, and drama to find out.

Chip Off the Old Block: Ryan Burns & Andi Crist

On Display: October 28th – December 6th
Reception: Friday, November 22nd, 6:00-8:00PM
Artist Talk: Friday, November 22nd, 7:00PM

Andi Crist is a conceptual artist based in Chicago. Her sculptural practice is complemented by a career as a professional art-handler and fabricator, and employs a variety of media including woodworking, ceramics, leathercraft and casting into mixed-media works. By pairing humor and skepticism with craft-based techniques, Crist aims a critical eye at the value systems at play in the arts economy on large and small scales. Absurdity and utility target intellectualism with a serious dedication to craftsmanship and a “master-of-none better than a master-of-one” attitude. Objects are rooted in real iterations of themselves, and replications reflect a world where work and play become both synonymous and antagonistic. With keen self-awareness and an often sardonic approach to the gallery as a white cube, Crist’s work incites critical examinations of contemporary industrialized studio practices while galvanizing craft in the realm of fine arts.

Ryan Burns makes zine-inspired drawings and still life paintings of fruit, typically protected in furniture-inspired framing devices. The work presents itself like a multi-panel framed shadowbox, consisting of ink drawings on raw canvas and fruit still life oil paintings on panel. His autobiographical zines and observational paintings gain insight into the past, search for personal identity, and provide empowerment to the author and audience.

Performing Arts Music Recital                                      Monday, December 2, 4pm
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center

This event is free and open to the public.

Serenade to Music: Shakespeare in Song
December 6, 2024 (Friday, 7:30 pm)
Maddox Theatre, Clark Arts Center
Director, Prof. Timm Adams
Join Rockford University choirs, soloists, and special guests for an enchanting evening of songs old and new with texts penned by the Bard himself. Vaughan Williams’ lush Serenade to Music sets the tone of the program, with contemporary and jazz interpretations rounding out the evening. We are joined by special guests, Val Blair on piano, Rachel Handlin on violin, and Mike Beert on double bass.