2014

“So, You Say You Want a Revolution?”: The Arts and Culture in Action

The 2014 Hancock Symposium explored the various roles of the fine arts as they both reflect and ignite social and political change in world cultures of today and yesterday. It was a two-day exploration of the impact of the arts on society, culture, and social justice.

Green Foundation Speaker: Sir Bob Geldof

Sir Bob Geldof is an entrepreneurial businessman, global leader, activist, and musician. He represents one of the most famous leaders in the music world by connecting musicians, artists, and concert-goers in order to alleviate human suffering and pain in multiple global environments. He received the Nobel Man of Peace award in 2005. He has been nominated seven times for The Nobel Peace Prize.

Plenary Speakers

Andy Paris, is an actor, writer, and cofounder of the Tectonic Theater in New York City. Along with other members of the Tectonic Theatre Project, he wrote both the play and the screenplay of The Laramie Project. The group was nominated for an Emmy in 2002 for “Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special.”  

Sally Stapleton is the managing editor for online and photography at The Day in New London, Connecticut and founder of the journalism education nonprofit, The Great Lake Media Institute, Inc. Stapleton oversaw the coverage of the Rwandan genocide and established an AP bureau in Kigali to continue the work of documenting the aftermath and reconstruction. 

Dale Bell is a producer, director, writer and is the Executive Producer, Co-President, and Co-CEO of the Media Policy Center in Santa Monica, California. He was the producer of the Academy Award-winning 1970 film, Woodstock. 

Breakout Session Speakers

Dr. Christy Tharenos, Associate professor in the Coastal Family Medicine Residency program and an adjunct associate professor in family medicine at Georgetown University. 

Paula Elias, Executive Director of the Citizen Jane Film Institute at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. She has written and produced both documentary and narrative shorts, including the award-winning What is Left.

Ramona Baker, 25 years of leadership experience as a CEO of arts councils and cultural organizations. She is an arts management consultant in Indianapolis, Indiana. She  lectured throughout the United States, as well as China, Russia, Australia, and Northern Ireland

Prof Stephanie Robinson, Adjunct professor of theater at Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts and an accomplished musician. One of her areas of expertise is the interface between music and technology.

Dr. Linda Aulgur, Professor of Education at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri where she is Director of Teacher Certification and the former chair of the Department of Education. She is also Director of the Westminster Seminar program.

Dr. Jeremy Brooke Straughn, Director of the Office of Study Abroad and Off-Campus Programs in the Churchill Institute for Global Engagement and Visiting Assistant Professor of Transnational Studies at Westminster College. He is widely published in multiple scholarly journals and is completing a book-length manuscript on East Germans and their views, over time, of the end of Communist.

Dr. Samuel Goodfellow, Professor and Chair of the Department of History, as well as the Cotton Chair for the Humanities and former Director of Global Education at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri.

Dr. Sonia Manzoor, Associate Professor of Economics at Westminster College

Erin Perry '17, Westminster College Student.

Michael Applegate '14 and Tyler Haulotte '15, Westminster College Alumni.

Prof. Jane Mudd, Associate Professor of Art at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri

Annamaria Pileggi, Professor of the Practice of Drama at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. She is an actor and director and her career includes work in South Africa. She also serves as an administrator and acting instructor for the department’s Shakespeare Globe Program in London.

Janet Glenski Peterson, Clinical practicing psychologist in Kansas City, Missouri who specializes in arts therapy.