During October, the Year of Ireland and Irish Heritage Offers Varied Programming
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Scary Stories
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the Movie, Bloody Sunday
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“Activism: Using Non-Violence to Transform the World”
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Profiles of Irish Mathematicians
Reinhardt University invites the community to attend four very different Year of Ireland and Irish Heritage events in October. The public is invited to attend these events free of charge.
Storyteller Betsy Doty – Oct. 18 - 6 p.m. – top floor of the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center.
Storyteller Betsy Doty will share spooky and scary traditional Irish tales on Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. on the top floor of the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center.
Doty’s motto — “There is more to every story than we will ever know” — drives her to share the wonder and mystery of storytelling. First discovering the power of storytelling in homeless shelters 20 years ago, she uses her rhetoric and theater degree and broadcast production background to share her lifetime love of stories and books. Now completing a Master of Education Integrating the Arts in the Curriculum, she hopes to also bring the art of storytelling to the classroom.
Bloody Sunday – Oct. 18 – 2 p.m. – Tarpley 113
On Oct. 18, the public is also invited to enjoy the movie Bloody Sunday as part of the ongoing Year of Ireland and Irish Heritage film series. The feature will begin at 2 p.m. in the Tarpley Center, room 113.
“Activism: Using Non-Violence to Transform the World” by Dr. Elizabeth Corrie – Oct. 20 – 2 p.m. – Concert Hall of the Falany Performing Arts Center
On Oct. 20, Dr. Elizabeth Corrie, the director of the Youth Theological Initiative and an assistant professor in the practice of youth education and peacebuilding at Emory’s Candler School of Theology, will present “Activism: Using Non-Violence to Transform the World” at 2 p.m. in the Falany Performing Arts Center Concert Hall. As Reinhardt’s annual Wesley Lecture, her talk will seek to engage the University and the community with challenging perspectives on faith.
Reinhardt Chaplain the Rev. Leigh Martin said Corrie draws on her commitment to peace with justice and to the education of young people as a foundation for her work in developing teaching and ministry practices that empower young people for global citizenship. Corrie’s research interests include theories and practices of nonviolent strategies for social change, the religious roots of violence and nonviolence, youth ministry and character education.
Martin sees activism as a particularly relevant topic for study because of the ongoing changes in the Middle East, as well as events closer to home, like the Occupy Wall Street protests. “It’s easy for us to grow complacent, as if these protests are irrelevant to us,” said Martin. “Some have more impact than others, but the evolution of social change should not be underestimated. Activism has created the world we experience today and will continue to shape the world of tomorrow. What will it take for us to stand up for what we believe? What will propel us from apathy to activism?”
Martin sees Corrie as the perfect speaker to bring to Reinhardt. “Dr. Corrie has devoted her life to social justice issues. She is an activist for many causes, at home and around the world. She is particularly interested in how non-violent strategies can bring about significant change. She brings an awareness of the world and its interconnectedness. She is a woman of deep faith and her faith drives her activism.”
“Irish Mathematicians – beyond the classroom” – by Dr. Richard Summers – Oct. 27 – 2p.m. – top floor of the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center
On October 27, at 2 p.m., Reinhardt math professor Dr. Richard Summers will present “Irish Mathematicians – beyond the classroom,” on the top floor of the Hill Freeman Library & Spruill Learning Center. Summers’ lecture will introduce t some of Ireland’s most notable mathematicians. He’ll tell of their successes and failures, and how their accomplishments are impacting our world today.
His lecture will answer questions, like what mathematician had a brilliant idea while walking along the Royal Canal talking to his mother-in-law? He was afraid he would forget it so where did he carve it? What senior wrangler developed a new theorem and included it on the Smith’s Prize Exam? What female mathematician won an award at the age of 16 for developing a revolutionary new cryptology algorithm?
“Year of” background
Each academic year since 2003, Reinhardt has designated a region of the world for study. Throughout the year, varied programs are presented that allow participants to explore different cultures, people and areas of the world. Additional programs are in the planning stages. For updates, see http://www.reinhardt.edu/yearof.