William Charles McMillan III Lecture Series

Although weak physically, William was intellectually gifted and his passion for life, his love and concern for all living things and the enthusiastic use of his verbal skills changed the lives of those who were closest to him and left a lasting impression on all with whom he came in contact.

Never at a loss for words, he was bursting with impressions, questions and insights which came pouring out in a dazzling, dizzying torrent.  It was rare to have a brief superficial conversation with William. A friend commented, “Sometimes I felt like I needed a seat belt when William was talking to me, because William would take us into outer space, back into primeval history and then into a universe of his own imagining.”

William believed that anyone could make a significant and lasting impact on the world no matter what one’s age, size or circumstance.  These lectures on elementary education are dedicated to the proposition that every child can reach beyond his or her own limitations, that each child makes a lasting impact on the community, and that each child makes the world a better place.  It is the goal of these lectures to take your mind where it has never been.

1995 Dr. Ernest L. Boyer, President, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

1996 Dr. David Elkind, Professor of Child Study, Tufts University

1997 Dr. Thomas Lickona, Professor of Education at the State University at Cortland

1998 Dr. Jane M. Healy, Learning Specialist, Educational Consultant and Author

1999 Dr. Thomas Sergiovanni, Lillian Radford Professor of Education and Administration at Trinity University

2000 Dr. William S. Pollack, Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School

2001 Dr. Mary Pipher, Clinical Psychologist, Author, Lecturer, Adjunct Professor, University of Nebraska

2002 Dr. Anne Chapman, Consultant and Author

2003 Dr. Michael Thompson, Psychologist, Consultant, Author

2004 Dr. Susan B. Neuman, Author, Professor at the University of Michigan, Former Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education

2005 (March) Dr. Roland S. Barth, Author and Consultant

2005 (October) Dr. Eric Jensen, Co-founder of the first international brain-based learning program, and Author

2006 Dr. Wendy Mogel, Clinical Psychologist, Parent Educator, Author

2007 Rosalind Wiseman, Co-founder of the Empower Program, Author

2008 Dr. David Walsh, Psychologist, Educator, founded the internationally renowned National Institute on Media and the Family, Author

2009 Dr. Edward M. Howell, Clinical Psychologist, Parent Educator, Author

2010 Robert Evans, Ed.D., Clinical Psychologist, Consultant, Author

2011 Parry Aftab, Parry Aftab, leading expert, worldwide, on cybercrime, internet privacy and cyber-abuse issues

2012 Po Bronson, successful novelist, prominent writer

2013 Dr. Larry Rosen, author, research psychologist, computer educator, keynote speaker and is recognized as an international expert in the “Psychology of Technology.”

2014 Dr. Yong Zhao, Presidential Chair & Professor at the University of Oregon, author of 20 books

2015 Dr. Tim Elmore, Best-selling author, international speaker, and president of Growing Leaders, a nonprofit that helps develop emerging leaders under the philosophy that each child is born with leadership qualities.

2017* Jessica Lahey, Educator, New York Times columnist, speaker and bestselling author. Recent release: The Gift of Failure:  How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed

2018 Devorah Heitner, An expert on young people's relationship with digital media and technology. She is the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive)  In Their Digital World.

2019 Bob Sorensen, Ph.D. is the founder of the Early Learning Foundation. He is a best-selling author and international speaker, trainer, and consultant.

2021 Michael Thompson, Ph.D.New York Times Bestselling Author and International Speaker-

2022 Lynn Fairborther Kosinski, FranklinCovey Client Partner, Educator, Administrator, Curriculum and Instruction Specialist-The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families

2022 Jamil Zaki, author of "The War for Kindness" and Director of the Stanford University Neuroscience Lab

2023 Tracy Dennis-Tiwary, PhD, author of "Future Tense" - Why Anxiety is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad)