‘Out of This World’-Themed 19th Annual Hancock Symposium to Feature Experts From Solar Science to the Symphony
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fulton, Mo. ‒ Sept. 10, 2024: Westminster College is pleased to announce the 19th Annual Hancock Symposium on Sept. 18-19 will be themed “Out of This World” and feature experts in everything from solar science to the symphony.
For the first time, the Symposium will also include a community- and campus-wide service day.
Symposium lectures and breakout sessions are open to the public and will begin at 9 a.m. both days in Champ Auditorium. A complete schedule can be found online and in Champ Auditorium on Sept. 18.
Founded in 2006, Hancock Symposium is the College’s signature event, representing the finest aspects of a Westminster education. Classes are suspended during the Symposium so that students, faculty, staff and the local community can attend two engaging days of lectures, panel discussions and presentations by noted experts on one particular subject of global interest.
Derek Glasgow, PhD, Hancock Symposium and Leadership Initiatives director, explains that this year’s speakers will provide a broad range of thought-provoking sessions which will interest just about everyone.
“The ‘Out of This World’ theme genuinely supports both the mission of the Symposium and of Westminster College, which includes fostering creativity and building critical-thinking skills,” he says, adding that the speakers were each carefully chosen as individuals who would help students explore the world by “looking beyond it, as well as deep within themselves.”
2024 Hancock Symposium Speakers
Glasgow, who is also an assistant professor of political science at Westminster, says the Hancock Symposium committee has been working hard this year to reach out to area non-profits, churches, schools and other community groups for the new service component of the event.
He reflects, “Whether they are listening to lectures, participating in breakout sessions or doing a service project with our service partners throughout Callaway County, our students will be learning together, which will spark discussions about the problems they see that are affecting the broader community.”
The Hancock Symposium is funded in perpetuity by a generous gift from alumnus David Hancock, Class of 1967, of Kansas City, Missouri.
ABOUT WESTMINSTER COLLEGE: Founded in 1851 and home of Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech, Westminster College is ranked prestigiously by The Princeton Review as one of the “Best 150 colleges in the Midwest” for 2024. New graduates experience a more than 90% placement rate within six months of graduation, while Westminster alumni are in the top 16% nationwide for graduate earnings. The only National Liberal Arts college in Missouri, Westminster has long been recognized for its focus on educating and inspiring students to make an impact on the world around them. Find out more about Westminster College by visiting our website.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Sarah Backer at 573-220-9038 or Sarah.Backer@WCMO.edu.
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