Former United States Director of National Intelligence, Commander in Chief of U.S. Pacific Command, and Retired United States Navy Admiral

The Challenges of China

Thursday, November 3, 2011
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

* This event is part of The Clarke Forum’s series on Leadership in an Age
of Uncertainty.

This event is jointly sponsored by The Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and Penn State University Dickinson School of Law and School of International Affairs.

Lecture Description (provided by the speaker)
To outsiders, China seems to be on a roll these days. The 2008 Olympics were an impressive coming-out party; it weathered the 2007-2008 world economic crisis better than most other countries, and has resumed double-digit economic growth; it has shown the world an advanced stealth aircraft, is about to launch an aircraft carrier, and has sent ships to join the international anti-piracy patrol in the Indian Ocean. Yet in many ways China does not act like a powerful, confident country. It squabbles with its neighbors to the East and South; it is in the midst of a mostly secret succession process; Chinese search engines will not accept “jasmine”; labor unrest and inflation are growing. Admiral Blair will describe Read more

Former Federal Judge and Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Understanding Today’s Threat Environment

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 *
Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, **5:00 p.m.**

Despite recent counterterrorism successes, including the death of Osama bin Laden, our world remains threatened by terrorist organizations whose members hate freedom, justice and liberty for all. Ten years after September 11, 2001, former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff discusses why we must not take our attention away from these significant dangers and the threat they pose to our future.

This event is jointly sponsored by The Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues and Penn State University Dickinson School of Law and School of International Affairs.

* This event is part of The Clarke Forum’s series on Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty.
Biography (provided by speaker)

As Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2005 to 2009, Mr. Chertoff led the country in blocking would-be terrorists from crossing our borders or implementing their plans if they were already in the country. He also transformed FEMA into an effective organization following Hurricane Katrina. His greatest successes have earned few headlines – because the important news is what didn’t happen.

At Chertoff Read more

Dean and Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine School of Law

The Roberts Court and the Future of Constitutional Law

Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Rubendall Recital Hall, 12:00 p.m. – 1:10 p.m.

The Roberts Court will address the most contested and divisive issues polarizing American society, including gay marriage, state immigration reform, and the new federal health care legislation. What direction will the Court take on these and other important issues?

Biography (provided by speaker)<
Dean and Distinguished Professor of Law, University of California, Irvine, School of Law. Prior to assuming this position in July 2008, was the Alston & Bird Professor of Law and Political Science, Duke University. Joined the Duke faculty in July 2004 after 21 years at the University of Southern California Law School, where he was the Sydney M. Irmas Professor of Public Interest Law, Legal Ethics, and Political Science. Before that he was a professor at DePaul College of Law from 1980-83. Practiced law as a trial attorney, United States Department of Justice, and at Dobrovir, Oakes & Gebhardt in Washington, D.C. Received a B.S. from Northwestern University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Author of six books and over 100 law Read more

President and CEO of The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences

Building Intellectual Bridges

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

This is event is part of The Clarke Forum’s “Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty” series

The goal of research and scholarship is the pursuit of new knowledge. That pursuit expands the intellectual endowment, but without a purpose and plan for the endowment’s use, new knowledge does not benefit society as much as it could. Scholars must take a leading role in the translation of discoveries and new knowledge into products, policies, and guidance for the benefit of all.

Benjamin Rush Award
The Benjamin Rush Award Ceremony recognizes outstanding achievement by a member of the business or government community. The individual accepting the award presents a public lecture addressing the relationship of a liberal arts education to the business or government world. Opportunities for members of the College community to converse and discuss issues with the award recipient occur while the recipient is on the campus. Click here for listing of past recipients.

Topical Background
The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences is an independent, nonprofit organization that unites academia, the private sector, and government in the conduct Read more

Former Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Former Governor of Pennsylvania

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium – 5:00 p.m.

The annual Constitution Day Address was established by The Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues in 1995. Each year a prominent public figure is invited to speak at Dickinson College on contemporary issues as they relate to the constitution.

A reception will follow the lecture from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in the Social Hall of the Holland Union Building.
Letter of invitation or Dickinson ID required.

Constitution Day
“Constitution and Citizenship Day” is normally celebrated every September 17, the day that the United States Constitution was ratified in 1787. It is intended to commemorate the signing of the Constitution and celebrate the founding ideals of the United States. The idea for Constitution Day began in 1939, when newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst advocated for the creation of a holiday to celebrate citizenship. In 1940, the United States Senate passed a resolution to designate the third Sunday in May as “I am an American Day.” In 1952, President Harry Truman changed the name of the holiday to “Citizenship Day” and moved the date to September 17. A Read more

Metzger-Conway Fellow,
Treasurer of ServeHAITI

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Haiti

(Part of The Clarke Forum’s series on “Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty”)
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

The discussion will focus on the cultural and economic challenges to providing healthcare to poor Haitians in the rural and mountainous region of Grand Bois. In particular, the talk will address the subtle causes of infant mortality and specific issues regarding women’s health.

Topical Background

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. It was the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804 and since then it has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. After the forced resignation and exile of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004, a provisional government was established under the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). This provisional government was charged with organizing new elections and in May 2006 Haiti inaugurated its first democratically elected president and parliament.

According to the Haiti Micah Project, a nonprofit Christian organization committed to addressing the needs of impoverished and uneducated street children in Haiti, the following bullet points provide a snapshot of Haiti’s condition:

•        The Read more

Founding Dean of the Jefferson School of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University

Real Reform — Real Leadership

Thursday, September 10, 2009

 (Part of The Clarke Forum’s series on Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty)
The Depot, 7:00 p.m.

The United States needs real leadership to tackle the health care system’s core problems: its cost, its poor quality, its limited scope, along with pernicious incentives that pervade the entire system. Dr. Nash will provide a leadership roadmap to confront these issues.

Topical Background
Healthcare reform has recently become a heated topic of debate in American politics. President Obama made improving the quality and coverage of healthcare, while reducing its costs, a key goal for his presidency. The Obama Administration seeks to ensure affordable healthcare coverage for all Americans, reduce wasteful practices in medical and administrative offices, improve patient care, and invest in the prevention of illness and disease. The reform of American health insurance and medical practice proves to be a divisive issue, as seen by the boisterous and well attended town hall meetings and protests across the nation.

Arguments for Healthcare Reform:
• 47 million Americans are uninsured.
• The U.S. is falling behind in world rankings for health indicators Read more

Tuesday, November 29, 2005
2005 Rush Award
Liberal Arts Education, Leadership and Business Management
Stern Center, Great Room, 7:00 p.m.

Issue in Context
Marvin Suomi of the Kajima Corporation once said “Somehow we have failed miserably in communicating to students and parents the importance of a well-rounded education in the business world. Today, perhaps more than ever, we need the depth of perspective that a liberal arts education can bring to decision making, product development, leadership, and other dimensions of business.”

Based on Mr. Suomi’s statement, one can easily begin to understand how much the business world has evolved in just a few decades. In the past, there was a clear bias within firms where specialized education was strongly preferred to liberal arts education in terms of background for employment. However, as the job market has evolved, so have the criteria for employment. Increasingly, firms are looking for individuals who exhibit skills in problem solving, the capacity for cross-cultural understanding, and the ability to place key decisions in broader social and historical contexts.

As more corporations become multi-national, the demand for liberal arts educated analysts in the business world continues to soar. The value of better understanding of human nature Read more