RELEASED: April 25, 2002

DANVILLE, KY-Dr. Thomas Hester said Tom Wolfe, North Carolina's most famous writer, was wrong: you can go home again.

Dr. Hester, Class of 1963, gave the Bastian Lecture at Centre's Norton Center for the Arts on Monday night. His lecture was titled "Reading ‘more wit' in John Donne." Dr. Hester, professor of English at North Carolina State University, is an expert on the poet John Donne (1572-1631).

Dr. Hester, a native of Owensboro, Ky., is one of the nation's preeminent scholars on Renaissance literature, particularly the poems of Donne. He is the author and editor of eight books and more than 40 scholarly papers on Renaissance literature, and he has twice won the John Donne Society of America's top award for outstanding publication. Dr. Hester is the founding editor of "The John Donne Journal" and the present editor of "Renaissance Papers." He has taught at North Carolina State University since 1971.

Dr. Hester visited with friends and family in Owensboro during the weekend before arriving at Centre Monday morning. He reacquainted himself with the campus that day.

"The campus is greatly changed. It's marvelous, full of beautiful additions. Only Old Centre and the track seem the same," said Hester, who was a conference sprint champion on the track and field team while at Centre.

Dr. Hester added, "The outstanding teachers in English and philosophy—among others—made all the difference in my life; their examples led me in the direction I've taken in teaching and scholarship since Centre."

During his visit, Dr. Hester was inducted into Centre's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. A college may establish a Phi Beta Kappa chapter only by meeting high standards for academic excellence among its faculty and students. Fewer than 300 colleges and universities in the United States currently have chapters.

"It certainly was among the highlights of my return to Centre and one of the most cherished honors I have received," he said.

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