The Speakers Series is open to the public by subscribing to the Series. The lectures are held from 8-9:30pm on seven evenings, from October through April.
Become a subscriber to the Philadelphia Speakers Series to guarantee your seats to all 7 lectures. You will have the chance to interact with each speaker, as each event will conclude with a question and answer session. Please note that the Philadelphia Speakers Series is only sold by subscription to the entire series - single tickets to individual lectures will not be sold.
Widener University presents the 2013-2014
Philadelphia Speakers Series at The Kimmel Center
The Philadelphia Speakers Series invites you to join us at The Kimmel Center to experience the ultimate in cultural engagement -- seven evenings of diverse opinions, profound insights and fascinating discussion on a broad scope of issues. For the past nine seasons, Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Peace Prize winners, world leaders, statesmen, distinguished journalists, authors and other celebrated personalities have enlightened and inspired our audiences. Join us for a season of heroes and legends. You'll be delighted you did!
The speakers for the 2013-2014 season, which begins this Fall, are:
BILL BRYSON
Bestselling Author and Humorist
October 1, 2013 - Tuesday, 8pm
For nearly three decades, Bryson has chronicled his travels around the world, including in Great Britain (Notes from a Small Island), the United States (A Walk in the Woods) and Australia (Down Under). More recently, Bryson has released two huge international bestsellers, A Short History of Nearly Everything and At Home.
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GEORGE PAPANDREOU
Former Prime Minister of Greece
October 14, 2013 - Monday, 8pm
As Prime Minister (2009-2011), Papandreou led the Greek government during the country's deepest crisis in post-war history, and helped shape the European response. Earlier in his career, he helped engineer the Greek-Turkish rapprochement as Foreign Minister (1999-2004) and has won several awards for his efforts to promote peace and democracy.
ROBERT GATES
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense
November 11, 2013 - Monday, 8pm
Appointed Secretary of Defense by President Bush in 2006, Gates continued in that capacity under President Obama. Earlier he served for 26 years in the CIA and the National Security Council. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom upon retirement, Gates now serves as Chancellor of the College of William and Mary.
STEVE WOZNIAK
Co-Founder of Apple Computer, Inc.
January 13, 2014 - Monday, 8pm
Called one of "Silicon Valley's most creative engineers," Wozniak single-handedly invented the early Apple computers, contributing significantly to the microcomputer revolution that followed. With Steve Jobs, he founded Apple Computer, Inc., leading its research and development. In 2000,Wozniak was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame.
BILLY COLLINS
U.S. Poet Laureate
February 24, 2014 - Monday, 8pm
Dubbed "The most popular poet in America" by the New York Times, Collins was appointed as Poet Laureate of the United States from 2001 to 2003. He is a Distinguished Professor at Lehman College of the City University of New York and the Senior Distinguished Fellow of the Winter Park Institute in Florida. His latest book Aimless Love is being released in 2013.
JON M. HUNTSMAN, JR.
Former Ambassador to China & Singapore;
Former Governor of Utah
March 31, 2014 - Monday, 8pm
Serving under four presidents of
both parties, he was appointed
by President Barack Obama in
2009 to be U.S. Ambassador to
China. Prior to this, he served
as the 16th Governor of the
State of Utah, as the Deputy
U.S. Trade Representative and
as the Ambassador to Singapore.
Most recently, he was a candidate
for the 2012 Republican
presidential nomination.
DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Historian
April 21, 2014 - Monday, 8pm
Working as an assistant to President Johnson, her first book, Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, became a New York Times bestseller and launched her literary career. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, her 2005 book Team of Rivals is the basis for Steven Spielberg’s 2012 hit film Lincoln.
