Lecture Series

The Dewald Dinner is made possible by the late Donald W. and Mrs. Eleanore (Iman '38) Dewald of Mansfield, OH. The Dewalds believed that academic achievement should be publicly recognized. Through this event, they wished to applaud the quality of Mount Union students' achievements and to encourage the pursuit of academic excellence at the University. 

The dinner specifically recognizes freshman merit scholars, students who earned Dean's List recognition during the Academic Year and students involved in the Honors Program of the University. Presidential Scholars and Investment Alliance Award recipients, full-time faculty, and selected staff as invited as well. 

The Joseph M. Car Lectureship was established in 1916 by the terms of the will of Reverend Joseph M. Carr, D.D., a close associate of President Hartshorn in the early days of Mount Union. The conditions under which the lectureship was given state that the lecture shall always be upon the subject, "The Mission of the Christian College to the World." 

Previous Carr Lecturers

The Mary W. and Eric A. Eckler Endowment in Literature and Drama was established in 1981 through an endowment given by Mr. John A. and Mrs. Dorothy (Nelson '29) Cummins in appreciation of the many years of service to the community and Mount Union by the Ecklers. Dr. Eric A. and Mrs. Mary Eckler were long-time faculty members in the Department of English at the institution. 

Previous Eckler Lecturers

Established in 1959, the Faculty Lecture features a member of the Mount Union faculty. This annual event affords the chosen faculty member an opportunity to give a special lecture relating to interesting or important developments in their own field or exploring matters of general concern to the faculty. 

Previous Faculty Lecturers

The Dr. Charles S. Gallaher Science Lecture Series was established in 2013 with an estate gift from Dr. Charles S. Gallaher ’25. Gallaher was a Mount Union alumnus and distinguished member of the Board of Trustees from 1956 to 1994. The lecture supports the sciences and is to be presented in the Charles S. Gallaher Theatre.

While attending Mount Union, Dr. Gallaher was an active brother of Phi Kappa Tau.  He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in medicine from the University of Louisville.  During World War II, he served as commander in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps in the southwest Pacific.  He later worked as a staff physician at the Kodak Company and became a surgeon and administrator at Park Ridge Hospital in Rochester, New York.

Previous Gallaher Lecturers

The Gordon Heffern Business Ethics Lecture was established by the late University of Mount Union Trustee Gordon E. Heffern to encourage dialogue about the practical ways in which spirituality can transform the workplace. 

Previous Heffern Lecturers

The Myrtie Allen Kershaw Lectureship on Poetry and the Fine Arts was established in 1960 by a bequest from Myrtie Allen Kershaw of Kent, Ohio, who indicated in her will that such a fund should go to a college chosen by her friend and executrix of her estate, Elizabeth Clark Bell. Because of Mrs. Bell's personal interest in Mount Union, where she was a student in 1932-33, and where her uncle, Robert E. Stauffer, was a teacher and librarian for many years, she designated Mount Union to receive the fund. 

Previous Kershaw Lectures

The Schooler Lecture Series was established in 1988 with grant funding from the Schooler Family Foundation. The Foundation's philanthropy has enabled the University to provide a dramatically enhanced opportunity for young adults studying at Mount Union and for the residents in the greater Alliance area to experience the breadth and depth of American culture. 

Previous Schooler Lecturers

The Thelma Tournay Slater Classics Lecture is made possible through a gift from Thelma E. (Tournay '42) Slater. Slater's lifelong passion for the classics began at Mount Union. The gift supports student enrichment through an increased appreciation of the civilization and cultural achievements of ancient Greek and Rome that stand at the core of a liberal arts education. 

Previous Slater Lecturers

The John and Eleanor Mincks Wolf Lecture in Music Education and English was established with gifts in 1999 and 2009 to honor the memory of John '47 and Eleanor (Mincks) Wolf. Mr. Wolf was a teacher of music for 30 years in the Strongsville schools. Mrs. Wolf was a teacher of English and Latin in the Richfield and Highland school districts. Distributions from the endowed fund are used to bring professionals in the disciplines of music education or English to campus. 

Previous Wolf Lecturers