Lander, Arts Center of Greenwood Present 2026-27 Community Lecture Series
The Greenwood community is asked to “save the dates” for the 2026-27 season of the Community Lecture Series, hosted by Lander University and the Arts Center of Greenwood. Each month of the academic year, members of the Lander faculty give public lectures on topics of interest that are related to their fields of study. All lectures begin at 6 p.m. at the Arts Center, with refreshments and a cash bar offered beginning at 5:30 p.m. The lectures are free and open to the public.
August 25 – What Makes America Great? Celebrating the Declaration of Independence
Dr. Ashley Woodiwiss, professor of political science, and Dr. Ryan Floyd, professor of history, examine the Declaration of Independence in this year of its 250th anniversary, including the philosophies that inform it and the actions leading up to its writing.
September 22 – Digital Artifacts and Evidence Recovery: What Your Computer Never Forgets
Dr. Farha Ali, professor of computer science, discusses the field of digital forensics, and explores how computers preserve information, how investigators analyze digital evidence and how digital artifacts have been used to solve real-world criminal and cybersecurity cases.
January 19 – The Inner Critic: The Psychology of Why We Get in Our Own Way
Dr. Jonathan Bassett, professor of psychology, presents an engaging, research-informed talk about self-defeating behaviors, examining the psychological factors that contribute to cynical outlooks, the stressors and anxieties that intensify self-defeating thinking, and how recognizing these patterns can help us overcome these obstacles and reach our fullest potential.
February 9 – Seeing the Difference: AI-Generated versus Human-Created Videos
Dr. Walter Iriarte, assistant professor of digital media, draws on his research using eye-tracking technology to examine differences between AI and non-AI generated video content, with a special focus on screen-view patterns of college students.
March 16 – Learning Accents: The Four Ps of KTS Speechwork for Actors
Monique Sacay-Bagwell, professor of speech and performance, explains the “Four Ps” of the Knight-Thompson Speechwork approach – People, Posture, Prosody and Pronunciation – that performers use to develop authentic, character-driven accents and speech-patterns for their roles.
April 6 – Artist Mothers: Daring to Create
Elizabeth Snipes, professor of art, celebrates the work of artist mothers, including contemporary artists making art through the lens of motherhood and some of the few historical artist mothers who managed to earn recognition and professional success. Snipes will also discuss her own creative work and process, which since the COVID-19 pandemic has increasingly confidently embraced her role as both artist and mother.
Please visit www.lander.edu/events for updates and to confirm event times and venues. For questions, please contact Assistant Provost Dr. Mark Rollins at 864-388-8563 or mrollins@lander.edu.