The January Series - 2024 Speakers

This year, The Fran Park Center is hosting select speakers for The January Series. See selected speakers and topics below.

Speaker: Robert George
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND THE HUMAN GOOD
Wednesday, January 17 | 10:30 am | Rehearsal Hall
Robert George is a McCormick professor of jurisprudence and the director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He’ll pull on his knowledge in law and theology to present how governments are obligated to respect and protect religious freedom for the sake of the basic human right of religion itself. 

Speaker: Caroline Randall Williams
SOUL FOOD AND THE COLLECTIVE CULTURAL MEMORY
Thursday, January 18 | 10:30 am | Rehearsal Hall
Caroline Randall Williams is an award-winning poet, young adult novelist, and cookbook author as well as an activist, public intellectual, performance artist, and scholar. Through her discussion on soul food and the collective cultural memory she’ll reclaim the narrative of health and body preservation through Black cuisine and dispel the myths about soul food. 

Speaker: Dr. Lydia Dugdale
THE LOST ART OF DYING:
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN FACING OUR MORTALITY
Tuesday, January 23 | 10:30 am | Rehearsal Hall
Dr. Lydia Dugdale is an internal medicine primary care doctor and a medical ethicist. She’s also a Columbia University professor and director of the Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. In her new book, The Lost Art of Dying, Dugdale offers insight and thoughtful guidance on how to die well.

Speaker: Niala Boodhoo
LESSONS I'VE LEARNED FROM LISTENING
Wednesday, January 24 | 10:30 am | Rehearsal Hall
Niala Boodhoo ’96 is an Axios journalist and podcast host, as well as guest host for 1A on NPR. She’ll discuss the importance of living outside of an echo chamber and the ways the human voice can help us change our perspectives.  

Speaker: Tommy Caldwell
ROUTE FINDING FOR SUCCESS
Thursday, January 25 | 10:30 am | Rehearsal Hall
Tommy Caldwell is a talented rock climber, with numerous accomplishments in sport, traditional, and free climbing; big wall first ascents; and speed records. He’ll share the ways he’s found a route for success with stories of his nationally-recognized climbs—including a hostage situation in Kyrgyzstan—and life struggles. 

Speaker: Jacob Goldstein
TECHNOLOGY, LUDDITES, AND THE FUTURE OF WORK
Monday, January 29 | 10:30 am | Rehearsal Hall
Jacob Goldstein is an NPR correspondent and podcast host. His interest in technology and the changing nature of work has led him to stories on UPS, the Luddites, and the history of light. His current work looks at the big picture of new technologies such as AI and the future of work. Goldstein looks at the history of technology breakthroughs to point out a silver lining.  

Speaker: Daniel Bowman
NEURODIVERGENT STORYTELLING
Tuesday, January 30 | 10:30 am | Rehearsal Hall
Daniel Bowman Jr. is a novelist, poet, and professor, who received an autism diagnosis at age 35. He will offer insights on autism, relationships, faith, and the gift of neurodiversity through stories of his heartbreaks and triumphs.  

Speaker: Tim Dalrymple
WHAT'S BECOMING OF US?: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH
Thursday, February 1 | 10:30 am | Rehearsal Hall
Timothy Dalrymple is a former national champion gymnast who turned to academia following an accident in college where he broke his neck. He helped launch patheos.com and Polymath, and he currently serves as Christianity Today’s President and CEO.