With a desire to engage the community and encourage discussion, Elizabethtown College will host a lecture series that will feature five internationally known speakers and will kick off on Thursday, Nov. 11.

"Elizabethtown College has a deep tradition in hosting speakers who share various perspectives and stories that educate and enlighten our campus and the surrounding community," said Keri Straub, executive director for marketing and communications. "We are excited with our lineup of speakers ... who we are confident will engage with our audiences to provide entertaining lectures and conversations."

The series will begin with a talk by Elizabeth Smart on Nov. 11. Founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, she made headlines after her abduction in 2002 and rescue in 2003. On Thursday, Dec. 2, Michael Eric Dyson will speak. He is an author, an MSNBC political analyst and a former NPR host. On Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, Robert D. Ballard will present. He is a deep-sea explorer known for his discovery of the Titanic, among other shipwrecks. Jim Collins, an author and business adviser, will speak on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, and the series will conclude with a talk by human rights advocate and former Amnesty International legal adviser Karima Bennoune on Wednesday, April 20, 2022.

"We wanted to bring a diverse selection of speakers with broad backgrounds and experiences to Elizabethtown College to provide a variety for our students, faculty, staff and the public," Straub noted.

The series is part of the college's mission to offer educational and entertaining programming, she said, adding, "These internationally known speakers have remarkable backgrounds, experiences and insights and will provide a night out for people who are looking to relax and enjoy stories that we all have heard and have a curiosity to learn more about if given the opportunity."

Straub added that not only does the series offer a range of speakers and topics, but it's open to people who want to enjoy it all or just one lecture. "Our lecture series is unique as you can purchase subscriptions in bundles of five or three speakers who spark your interest," along with individual tickets, she stated.

The lectures will be held at 7:30 p.m. on campus in the Leffler Chapel and Performance Center, with the exception of Collins' talk, which will be held at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square. For more information on the lecture series or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.etown.edu/lectures.