Dr. Mary J.C. Hendrix, president of Shepherd University, has created this distinguished lecture series—for the campus and community, and it has become part of the Lifelong Learning Program.
Spring 2026
All lectures, which are free and open to the public, take place in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education auditorium. These lectures will also be livestreamed on the Shepherd University YouTube channel.
___________________________________________________
Can We learn Anything From Antietam?
January 26, 2026 | 6:30 p.m.
D. Scott Hartwig
Why do we study history? What is its value to our lives today? What could we possibly learn from a battle that occurred 163 years ago? The extraordinary challenges faced by the people who lived the Battle of Antietam and its consequences are greater than most of us will ever experience in our lifetime. They have a story to tell us. History may not repeat itself, but we have more in common with the people who came before us than we might imagine. And we can learn from them and how they grappled with extreme circumstances. This program will explore the stories of several individuals associated with Antietam and consider what they might teach us.
___________________________________________________
2025 Nobel Prize Topics
February 24, 2026 | 6:30 p.m.
Shepherd University Faculty
- The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.” – Dr. Sytil Murphy, Associate Professor of Natural & Physical Sciences, and Department Chair
- The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 “for the development of metal-organic frameworks.” – Dr. Joseph Lokant, Lecturer of Chemistry
- The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 “for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance.” – Dr. Robert Warburton, Professor of Biochemistry
- The Nobel Prize in Literature 2025 “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.” – Dr. James Pate, Associate Professor of English History and Modern Languages
- The Nobel Peace Prize 2025 “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” – Dr. Sam Greene, Associate Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Department Co-Chair
- The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2024 “for having identified the prerequisites for sustained growth through technological progress” and “for the theory of sustained growth through creative destruction.” – Dr. Amanda Mandzik – Associate Professor of Business, Accounting, Economics, and Finance
___________________________________________________
For more information, contact Lucinda Powers, Director of Continuing Education & Lifelong Learning, at Lpowers@shepherd.edu or 304-876-5135.