Schemel Forum Hosts Collaborative Programs This Spring
The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum will present four programs in collaboration with University departments. Topics discussed at these events, most of which are free of charge and open to the public, include the resilience of Rwandans; the University’s Mutiny on the Bounty exhibit; the art, memory and culture rooted in Africa; and a roundtable discussion on diversity in America.
On Tuesday, April 8, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., participants in “Sweet Tale of Resistance” will view “Sweet Dreams,” a highly acclaimed documentary film by Lisa and Rob Fruchtman that depicts three stories of Rwandan women as they navigate the successes and challenges of post-genocide Rwanda. The film intertwines their stories, which express the resiliency of the Rwandan people, and follows Rwanda’s first all-female drumming troupe, their adventures in opening the first ice cream parlor in Rwanda, and their struggles to remain resilient and positive for the nation’s future. Presented in collaboration with the University’s African Studies Department and Women’s Studies Department, this program will take place in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall. It is free of charge and open to the public. Reservations are requested to attend.
In celebration of the 225th anniversary of the mutiny on the HMS Bounty, University benefactor, alumnus and book collector Edward R. Leahy will present “The Mutiny on The Bounty: Myth & Fact” on Wednesday, April 9, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Although the mutiny on the Bounty remains a cultural touchstone, the facts have been distorted by propaganda and popular culture. Leahy will speak about the exhibit of his collection of mutiny on the Bounty materials, the creation of the myth of Captain Bligh as a cruel tyrant and the real story of the mutiny. Presented in collaboration with the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library, this program will take place in the Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library. A reception will follow the presentation. The event is free of charge and open to the public. Reservations are requested to attend.
On Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., a symposium titled “Africa: Art, Memory, Culture” will delve into the history, arts, economics and philosophy of Africa, African-Americans and the Caribbean. Guest speakers include: Clement Price, distinguished professor of history and the director of the Institute of Ethnicity and Culture at Rutgers University-Newark; Lowery Stokes Sims, international curator of the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City and global Africa curator; Patrick Goodin, associate professor of philosophy at Howard University in Washington, D.C.; and Dr. Mwangi Wa Githinji from the Economics Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The symposium, which will take place in Brennan Hall, includes lunch following the second lecture and a closing wine and cheese reception. The cost is $40 per person; admission is free of charge for University faculty, staff and students.
On Monday, April 28, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Julie Schumacher Cohen, director of community and government relations at the University, and Sondra Myers, director of the Schemel Forum, will co-moderate “We Are All Others: The American Story.” Our region have welcomed people from all corners of the globe. This discussion, which will explore how all of us are “others” to someone, will address the following questions: Can we celebrate our diversity by becoming more inclusive? How do we welcome newcomers today? What does the American melting pot experience say about an increasingly globalized world?
“Roundtable discussions are becoming a regular Schemel Forum feature,” said Myers. “I’ve found that this format works well for critical issues, both locally and internationally. It feels more like a working group than a presenter-audience situation, with all participants equally engaged.” Presented free of charge to the general public, the discussion is limited to 30 participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Presented in collaboration with the Office of Community Relations, this program will take place in the Weinberg Memorial Library.
To register, contact Emily Brees, Schemel Forum assistant, at (570) 941-6206 or emily.brees@scranton.edu. For more information on Schemel Forum programs and memberships, contact Sondra Myers at (570) 941-4089 or sondra.myers@scranton.edu.
