Cultural Programs

UNC-TV, North Carolina's statewide public television network, will broadcast "We Can Be Better: Courageous Voices Confront Our Greatest Challenges," at 10 p.m., Thursday, June 23. The program is an edited version of Elon's April 7 Convocation for Honors moderated by NBC Nightly News Anchor Brian Williams.

The Rev. Andrew More O’Connor, a parish priest for Holy Family in the Bronx in New York City and founder of a nonprofit apparel line that provides a living wage to Mayan Indian weavers in Guatemala, will deliver Elon University’s 2011 Baccalaureate sermon on May 20 in Alumni Gym at 3 p.m.

Re-imagining a nearly 2,500-year-old play, the Department of Performing Arts' production of Ajax by Sophocles explores the great warrior’s PTSD-like struggles on the battlefield of a contemporary and familiar war-torn landscape. The show runs through Sunday afternoon in McCrary Theatre.

Ever wonder what the devil’s eye view is on religion, politics, evil, Disney? Jeffrey C. Pugh, the Maude Sharpe Powell Professor of Religious Studies, on Thursday night will read from his latest book - Devil's Ink: Blog from the Basement Office - to address these and other concerns that perplex and mystify humans in the present age as part of the Elon University Distinguished Scholar Award Lecture.

Elon University will devote its annual spring Convocation for Honors on April 7, 2011, to an in-depth examination of five great problems facing humanity. Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, will moderate a panel discussion titled "We can be better: Courageous voices confront our greatest challenges." Distinguished panelists will explore tough choices that must be made to respond to threats to our democracy, economies, public education, the environment and civil stability around the world.

General admission tickets to Elon University's Convocation for Honors on Thursday, April 7, are available at Elon's box office. Brian Williams, anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News, will moderate a discussion titled "We can be better: Courageous voices confront our greatest challenges." Read this note for important ticket information.

J.C. Watts, former Republican congressman from Oklahoma and a commentator and strategist, will hold a question-and-answer session at 11 a.m. today in Whitley Auditorium. Watts is visiting campus as the seventh Isabella Cannon Distinguished Visiting Professor of Leadership. He delivered a public lecture last night in McCrary Theatre.

NPR correspondent Rob Gifford, author of Elon University's 2010-11 Common Reading selection China Road: A Journey into the Future of a Rising Power, will speak Tuesday night for the Common Reading Lecture. The book describes Gifford's 3,000-mile journey across Route 312 from Shanghai to China's western border with Kazakhstan.