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Events & Annual Lectures

The School of Liberal Arts presents an array of fascinating lectures and seminars tailored to our students’ interests and studies throughout the academic year.

Ranging from informal discussions to traditional-style lectures, these well-loved campus events bring the Manhattan community together to hear from prominent subject experts and authors, as well as learn about research happening right here at the College.

Events Calendar



List of Annual Lectures & Events

The following events occur on an annual or other routine basis. See specific dates and topics on the calendar of events. 

Aquinas Lecture

The Aquinas Lecture, named for the Catholic philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas, covers a wide variety of liberal arts topics related to areas including philosophy and theology.

Costello Lecture

This lecture series attracts leading historians to campus to give presentations on European history, and specifically the French Revolution and the Renaissance. Established in 2001 in honor of the member of former Manhattan College history professor Brother Casimir Gabriel Costello.

Christen Lecture

Focusing on the colonial and revolutionary periods of American history, the Robert J. Christen Program in Early American History and Culture was founded in 1986 to honor the memory of Dr. Robert J. Christen, who attended Manhattan College as a student and later joined the College’s faculty.

Dante Seminar

The seminar group meets six times a year — the first five to discuss the scholarly projects of their members, the sixth to hear from a guest speaker. Open the all members of the campus community, the Dante Seminar started in 1979 with members of the Manhattan College community gathering to read and discuss The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri.

Great Cities Lecture Series

This series brings prominent speakers to campus to discuss topics related to urban development and life in distinctive cities throughout the world. It is sponsored by the Urban Studies program.

Phi Alpha Theta Brownbag Series

Held in the fall and spring, the Phi Alpha Theta Brownbag series highlights the work of faculty members and undergraduate history majors at the College. It was established in the fall of 2009 as a lunchtime gathering of students and faculty for informal conversations about the practice of history and the experience of being a historian.

Major Authors Reading Series

One of the more popular events on campus, the Major Author Reading Series (M.A.R.S.) brings popular poets, travel writers and novelists to campus each fall and spring semester to give a reading. Each reading is followed by a discussion, book signing and reception. The series is hosted by the English department and the School of Arts to encourage students to expand their literary knowledge.

Newman Lecture

Liberal arts is at the very core of an undergraduate education, and this annual lecture explores just that: the nature of liberal arts education, its contemporary significance and social consequences. It was named for Cardinal John Henry Newman, a prolific scholar of early Christianity as well as a poet, who authored,The Idea of a University--a highly influential work. In 2010, he was beatified at a ceremony conducted by Pope Benedict XVI, who praised Newman for his insights "into the need for a broadly based and wide-ranging approach to education," which "continue today to inspire and enlighten many all over the world."

Women and Gender Studies Brownbag Series

Sponsored by the Women and Gender Studies program, this popular lunchtime series is an opportunity for students and faculty to come together for an informal presentation and discussion about issues related to women and gender studies.