Several influential figures will visit Elon and Queens in 2026-27 as part of two speaker series that each year bring distinguished thought leaders to both campuses.
Through the Elon University Speaker Series and the Learning Society at Queens, audiences can engage with influential voices whose work is shaping conversations in leadership, science, technology, the arts, public service and beyond, bringing fresh perspectives to two campuses united by a shared commitment to learning.
For more information, including ticket details, please visit
elon.edu/speakerseries and queens.edu/learningsociety.
Fall Convocation with David Brooks
Bestselling author, staff writer for The Atlantic and longtime New York Times columnist
Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, 3:30 p.m. | Alumni Gym,
Koury Athletic Center, Elon, N.C.
Elon University Speaker Series
David Brooks is a leading observer of American culture, politics and civic life. Over decades in journalism, his columns have become some of the most widely read in the nation, offering insight into political dynamics, social trends and the challenges facing modern democracy.
Common Reading Lecture with Hanif Abdurraqib
Cultural critic and author of “There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension”
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, 7:30 p.m. | Alumni Gym,
Koury Athletic Center, Elon, N.C.
Elon University Speaker Series
Hanif Abdurraqib is widely recognized for his lyrical and deeply personal writing that explores music, identity and the intersections of culture and lived experience. “There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension” was selected as Elon’s Common Reading for 2026-27.
“Navigating Change, Empowering Progress: A Roadmap for Leaders Committed to Community and Democracy” with the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, former
Prime Minister of Canada
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, 7 p.m. | Sandra Levine Theatre, Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement, Charlotte, N.C.
The Learning Society
In an era of unprecedented global challenges and technological change, the foundation of progress remains human — our ability to build and strengthen communities through democratic principles and shared values. Drawing from his transformational decade as Canada’s 23rd Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau shares compelling insights on how leaders can foster resilient, inclusive communities that can thrive in times of opportunity and crisis.
Carol Ann Walker International Lectureship with Lance Cpl. Kyle Carpenter
Recipient of the Medal of Honor
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026, 11 a.m. | McCrary Theatre,
Center for the Arts, Elon, N.C.
Elon University Speaker Series
The youngest living recipient of the Medal of Honor, Lance Cpl. Kyle Carpenter was recognized for extraordinary heroism when he suffered life-threatening injuries after throwing himself on a grenade in Afghanistan to protect a fellow U.S. Marine. He is the author of the memoir “You Are Worth It: Building a Life Worth Fighting For.”
Coming in 2027
Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Address with Danielle Coke Balfour
Artist, author and social justice advocate
Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2027, noon | Alumni Gym,
Koury Athletic Center, Elon, N.C.
Elon University Speaker Series
A Conversation with Venus Williams
Olympian, world-renowned tennis champion and entrepreneur
Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2027, 7 p.m. | Sandra Levine Theatre, Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement, Charlotte, N.C.
The Learning Society
Baird Lecture with Tim Tebow
Heisman Trophy winner, former NFL quarterback and philanthropist
Tuesday, March 9, 2027, 7 p.m. | Alumni Gym, Koury Athletic Center, Elon, N.C.
Elon University Speaker Series
James P. Elder Lecture with Heather Cox Richardson
Historian and bestselling author
Tuesday, April 6, 2027, 6:30 p.m. | Alumni Gym, Koury Athletic Center, Elon, N.C.
Elon University Speaker Series