Centre News

John Pomfret, Humana Visiting Scholar and author of the
first-year student required reading selection, Chinese Lessons.


Professors will give a joint convocation in preparation for the
Vienna Philharmonic performance at Centre on September 27.


Greg Brosnan and Jennifer Szymaszek will talk about their film,
which discusses the aftermath of an immigration raid at a kosher
meatpacking plant in Iowa.

The following convocations will be held on Centre College’s campus during the month of September. Unless otherwise noted, each event is free and open to the public.

Stayin’ Alive: How China’s Communist Party Has Overseen an Economic Revolution and Remained in Power. John Pomfret, Humana Visiting Scholar, September 9, 7 p.m., Newlin Hall

The author of the first-year student required reading selection, Chinese Lessons: Five Classmates and the Story of the New China, Pomfret is a celebrated international journalist and a Fulbright Scholar who spent a year of his Stanford undergraduate career as an exchange student at Nanjing University in China in 1980. Chinese Lessons tells the tale of an evolving modern China from the perspective of five of his Chinese classmates.

The Ugly One, DramaCentre production, September 15, 16 and 18, 8 p.m.; September 17, 6 p.m. Weisiger Theatre.

Described as a scintillating absurdist comedy about beauty, identity and getting ahead in life, The Ugly One was written by Marius von Mayenburg, a German playwright and translator. In the play, main character Lette thinks he’s normal. When the extent of his ugliness is revealed, he turns to a plastic surgeon for help. But after the bandages come off, Lette soon learns that there is such a thing as too beautiful. Mayenburg's 60-minute play squarely hits any number of targets: our society's obsession with external beauty, the brutality of capitalism and the danger of treating defining organs like mechanical parts.

Does America Have a Written Constitution? A Glance at Judicial Politics. Dr. Larry Matheny, John Marshall Harlan Professor Emeritus of Government September 20, 7 p.m., Weisiger Theatre.

Professor Emeritus Larry Matheny will give the address in this annual convo in celebration of the U.S. Constitution.

“In the Shadow of the Raid” September 22, 7:30 p.m., Weisiger Theatre.

The makers of this documentary will be on campus to talk about their film, which discusses the aftermath of an immigration raid at a kosher meatpacking plant in Iowa. This was one of the largest workplace raids in history. Click here for more information about the film.

Dudamel and the Vienna Philharmonic Do Danville. September 23, 7:30 p.m., Newlin Hall.

Professors Barbara Hall, Nathan Link and Ian Wilson will give a joint convocation in preparation for the following Monday’s Vienna Philharmonic performance. Click here for more.