The Dr. Thomas and Albert Shipka Speakers Series began in 1993 and brings two speakers annually to campus to address issues that are central to modern living. Our target audience is mainly YSU undergraduate students, although dozens of faculty and residents from the community frequently attend. Our events attract audiences ranging from 400 to 800. A list of past speakers is shown below:

Dr. David Campbell
University of Notre Dame
September 22, 2011
"American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us"

Chris Hedges
Pulitzer Prize Winner
September 30, 2010
“Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle”

Dr. Carol Tavris
Renowned Social Psychologist
March 30, 2010
“Self-Justification in Every-Day Life: What Cognitive Dissonance Theory Reveals About Cheating, Justice, Love, War, Our Deepest Beliefs – And Our Dumbest Decisions”

Dr. Stephen Prothero
Boston University
October 15, 2009
“What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You: Religious Illiteracy in American Public Life”

Dr. Regina Schwartz
Northwestern University
April 9, 2009
“Holy Law and Holy Terror”

Dr. Carolyn Merchant
University of California, Berkeley
February 12, 2008
“Reinventing Eden: The Fate of Nature in Western Culture”

Dr. Diane Farsetta
Center for Media and Democracy
October 7, 2008
“Big Spin for a Small Planet: Public Relations, Lobbying and Climate Change”

Dr. Bernard Rollin
Colorado State University
February 20, 2007
"Animal Rights as a Mainstream Phenomenon"

Dr. John Haught
Woodstock Theological Center
Georgetown University
October 9, 2007
“God and Darwin: Are They Reconcilable?”

Dr. Timothy E. Quill
University of Rochester
September 19, 2006
Discussing Palliative Care and Hospice: So Difficult but So Important"

John A. Coleman, S.J.
Loyola Marymount University
March 30, 2006
"The Ethical Challenges of Globalization"
Cosponsored with the YSU Center for Working Class Studies

Howard Brody, M.D., Ph.D.
Michigan State University
February 14, 2006
"Religion, Bioethics, and End-of-Life Care in America"
Pictures from the Event

Dr. Joe Nickell
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal
March 10, 2005
"My Adventures with the Paranormal and Miracles"

Dr. David Luban
Georgetown University Law Center
September 30, 2003
"The War on Terrorism and the End of Human Rights"

Dr. Kenneth Miller
Brown University
February 18, 2003
"Finding Darwin's God - An Answer to the Conflict between Evolution and Religion"

Dr. James Sterba
University of Notre Dame
October 15, 2002
"Terrorism and International Justice"

Dr. Peter Levine
Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy
University of Maryland at College Park
February 5, 2002
"The Electronic Commons: Building a Public Domain in Cyberspace"
Text of Levine's Lecture

Dr. Myles Brand, President
Indiana University
October 9, 2001
"What is the Role of Universities in Social Change?"

James "the Amazing" Randi
The James Randi Educational Foundation
November 30, 2000
"Science and the Paranormal"

Dr. Tara Smith
The University of Texas at Austin
September 26, 2000
"Principled Egoism"

Reverend Thomas J. Tobin, D.D.
Bishop, Diocese of Youngstown
May 25, 2000
"Challenges Facing the Catholic Church in the New Millennium"

Dr. Lucius T. Outlaw, Jr.
Haverford College
February 8, 2000
"Multiculturalism, Citizenship, Education, and American Liberal Democracy"

Dr. Paul Kurtz, Emeritus
State University of New York at Buffalo
March 3, 1999
"Science and the Paranormal"

Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock
Radcliffe College
October 26, 1998
"Politicians, Pastors, and Pimps: Christianity and Sex Policies"

Dr. Harvey G. Cox
Harvard University
March 2, 1998
"Religion and Politics in the 21st Century

Dr. Richard T. Tarnas
California Institute of Integral Studies
November 17, 1997
"The Western Mind at the Threshold"

Dr. Margaret P. Battin
University of Utah
February 3, 1997
"Global Population and Reproductive Rights"

Dr. John L. Esposito
Georgetown University
October 8, 1996
"The Islamic Threat: Myth Or Reality?"

Dr. Bernard Rollin
Colorado State University
May 21, 1996
"The Frankenstein Syndrome: Ethical and Social Issues
in the Genetic Engineering of Animals"

Dr. Carolyn Osiek, R.S.C.J.
Catholic Theological Union
January 25, 1996
"The Bible and Women: Friends or Foes?"

Dr. Harry Binswanger
The Ayn Rand Institute
November 7, 1995
"The Philosophy of Ayn Rand"

Dr. Arthur Zucker
Ohio University
February 16, 1995
"Medical Futility and Morality"

Dr. Diana Eck
Harvard University
October 20, 1994
"World Religions in America - the New Challenges of Pluralism"

Dr. George Schlesinger
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
March 8, 1994
"The Problem of Evil"

Dr. Gerald Dworkin
University of Illinois at Chicago
October 27, 1993
"May Doctors Kill?"