Eclectic Talent Line-up in Fall 2015 Speaker Series

Puppets, poetry, zombies, and video games start off the fifth year of the Landmark College Academic Speaker Series. “This year we are more performance oriented,” said Geoff Burgess, associate professor and Speaker Series leader. “We are still bringing forth social justice themes, but we’ve stepped up the multi-modal approach.” To explain, he pointed to Shura Wallin’s talk on September 14, which will feature a 30-minute puppet show before Wallin talks about her efforts to obtain medical care for deported migrants—who may be sick or dying—in the American Southwest.

Two weeks after Wallin’s talk, alumna Lissa Piercy, class of 2011 and founder of Flatline Poetry, will perform with her award-winning Boston-based group of poets. In October, English faculty member Dr. Jenn McCollum will talk about the role of zombies in history and culture. Wrapping up the season in November, Jennifer Allaway will present the final event, “Sexism and Whiteness in Gaming: Beyond the Boys’ Club,” a discussion of contemporary gaming research.      

Burgess credits a committee of dedicated faculty for the ongoing success of the series. “They are deeply connected in the local arts and culture scene,” he said. “That is why we have been able to offer such a strong series each semester.” The committee is made up of faculty members Steve Carmichael and Lesle Lewis from the English Department, Virginia Scholl from Advising, and Charlie Schneeweis from the Department of Fine and Performing Arts.

Free and open to the public, Speaker Series events are held at 7 p.m. at Landmark College unless otherwise noted.

The 2015-16 Academic Speaker Series is sponsored in part by GPI Construction, Green Mountain Tent Rentals, and The Richards Group.

Monday, September 14
Shura Wallin
Walk to the Borders

Shura Wallin is co-founder of the humanitarian group the Green Valley/Sahuarita Samaritans. The Samaritans assist migrants deported from the U.S. Wallin helps to secure medical assistance and, in some cases, the assistance of the Mexican Consulate. Guided in part by the Buddhist principles of kindness and non-attachment, Wallin remains deeply focused on the core mission of the Samaritans––saving lives in the desert, one at a time. “Nothing is more sacred.  Moral laws have to take the high ground.

Wallin’s event is in association with Sandglass Theater’s Puppets in the Green Mountains Festival. The festival theme is “Walking to the Borders.” This event begins with a performance of La Femme Blanche at 6:30 p.m. on the Quad, followed by a talk at 7 p.m. in the Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium of the East Academic Building.

Tuesday, September 29
Flatline Poetry
Slam Poetry Performance

Flatline Poetry is a group of four poets who seek to "create a new heartbeat" with every performance and workshop. Since their formation in 2013, Flatline has taken the Boston poetry community by storm.  The group won the 2013 Poetry Award for Best Poetry Group and was featured at Wheelock College’s 2014 Half Year Program. Flatline was co-founded by Landmark College alumna Lissa Piercy, class of 2011. Here she performs Beyond the Viral Poem at TEDxVail.

The poets of Flatline Poetry write on topics of identity, family, love, loss, and social justice. With a diverse set of skills and backgrounds, the members of Flatline present challenging poetry and innovative workshops that foster dialogues where all voices are valued. Flatline will perform at 7 p.m. in the Greenhoe Theater of the Fine Arts Building.

Monday, October 26
Dr. Jenn McCollum
Sexing the Zombie: The Changing Body of a Timeless, Global Fixation

“Sexing the Zombie” briefly historicizes the trope of zombies in the arts (literature, fine arts, film, etc.) to show the overlooked but important role of zombies for complicating contemporary discussions about body politics and gender/sexuality issues. The zombie has a rich history that can be traced to cultural representations dating back at least to its religious beginnings in Samaria, Egypt, and Israel. In addition to religious manifestations, incidents such as dancing mania can explain why zombie currency has maintained its value through hundreds of thousands of years of human history. Reaching briefly back into the rich history of zombies in literature shows that the zombie motif is not new; it is, in fact, ancient. Its incarnation through history is interesting and the stakes are high, especially in dissecting our Westernized perception of femininity and masculinity. McCollum will present at 7 p.m. in the Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium.

Monday, November 9
Jennifer Allaway
Sexism and Whiteness in Gaming: Beyond the Boys’ Club

Jennifer Allaway has studied sexist practices in the game industry, the prevalence of whiteness in AAA games, and the impact of representation on game players. She is an avid gamer, a social justice advocate, and a game designer with an emphasis on narrative. This presentation is based upon her year- long study on the prevalence if sexism in the game industry and its impact on game content, as well as her work on whiteness in games. She has spoken at GDC 2014, Pax Prime 2014, and Indie Game Con 2014 about her research. Her work has additionally been featured on Gamasutra, Jezebel, and in a panel for First Person Scholar. She is currently an MFA candidate at NYU Game Center, as well as a narrative consultant. Her most recent game, Wadjet Eye's newest adventure title Shardlight, is set to publish later this year. Allaway will present at 7 p.m. in the Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium.

The mission of the Speaker Series is to “promote the College's intellectual environment and facilitate discussion of important issues for the community.”

Landmark College was the first institution of higher learning to pioneer college-level studies for students with dyslexia. Today, Landmark College is a global leader in integrated teaching methods for students with learning disabilities (including dyslexia), ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The College offers two- and four-year degree options, a graduate-level certificate in universal design with technology integration, and summer programs for students who learn differently. Students, faculty, and professionals from around the world are drawn to Landmark College for its innovative educational model, designed through research and practice to help all students become confident, empowered, and independently successful learners.