From October to May, the University of Washington hosts a series of lectures open to the community. These free seminars deliver insights into a broad range of topics otherwise inaccessible to the general public. Featured speakers include university deans, book authors, college professors, and student researchers. Topics span a broad range of disciplines and subjects like 19th-century Paris, American democracy, and country music.
For students from disadvantaged backgrounds these lectures help bridge the gap in educational inequity. These lectures offer a distinct insight into college-level content and higher education for high schoolers. The audience of these lectures is filled with UW students and faculty, which is a great way to establish a network. Current students are willing to give genuine insights about UW school that a tour guide may not offer. Networking with staff, especially professors, is an easy way to get a head start on building a strong community by the time you’ve already started college. Especially true for the UW Honors program which hosts many lectures, students and faculty alike provide views of their respective fields that aren’t as easily grasped by just researching them.
The advantages of UW’s lecture program for high schoolers are reflected in the general public. Beyond the more stressful task of sending in college applications, underclassmen and non-students can still find value in networking or gaining unique educational moments you likely won’t find elsewhere. With higher education out of reach to many due to costs and fees, UW’s lecture program offers a solution which makes education more accessible.
For Bulldogs interested in UW’s lecture program, listed below are two hand-picked upcoming events:
Left Coast Rising: The Making of a Regional Political Tradition
Presented by James Gregory
December 3, 2024 – 6:30pm, Kane Hall 210
UW Professor of History James Gregory explores the history of radical social movements, the factors that make it more influential compared to other regional movements, and ultimately how the West Coast became the “Left Coast.”
The AfroFuture Now
Presented by Professor of Media & Cultural Studies John Jennings
May 1, 2025 – 6:30pm, Seattle Town Hall
UCR Professor John Jennings explores the themes and history of Afrofuturism and posits it future in an ever-changing world.
