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Speakers and Events
At Simon’s Rock, our passion for learning goes well beyond the classroom. You’ll be part of a community that learns from and engages with global leaders in fields ranging from dance to environmental law.
You'll hear what these leaders have to say, and you’ll connect with them in master classes, public lectures, and small-group discussions. Some events are annual traditions or part of a series, while other events reflect the ever-evolving interests and pursuits of our learning community. Each year brings new discoveries.
W.E.B. Du Bois Lecture
We honor the memory of this Great Barrington native with the W.E.B. Du Bois Memorial Lecture. Given each year on or near Du Bois’s birthday, February 23, the lecture is presented by a distinguished scholar whose own achievements are in the tradition of Du Bois.
Book One Lecture
Every year Simon’s Rock selects a book that promotes interdisciplinary conversations about the intersection of cultures. The author speaks on campus about the inspiration for, thinking behind, and creative process that resulted in the book. Then, students and the entire community get the chance to ask questions of the author.
The Book One lecture is one of many Simon's Rock campus traditions. Find out more about other campus traditions that run the gamut from somewhat conventional to downright quirky.
Symposium on Social Justice and Inclusion
Symposium Week is an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to reflect, discuss, and act on issues related to social justice and inclusion. The annual program, sponsored by the Council for Equity and Inclusion, offers special events and workshops that lead to student-driven conversations on issues such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, immigration, sexual harassment, and bullying, among others.
Faculty Forums
Faculty forums offer faculty a stage to share their interests and pursuits outside of the classroom.
Mapping Shangrila: Contested Landscapes in the Sino-Tibetan Borderlands
Chris Coggins, professor of Geography and Asian Studies, discussed his contribution to a book based on his field research in western China from 2004 to 2011. Mapping Shangrila advances a view of landscapes as media of governance, representation, and resistance, examining how they are reshaping cultural economies, political ecologies of resource use, subjectivities, and interethnic relations.
Paintings in Song: Visions of Norman Rockwell
Composer John Myers, Stephanie Plunkett, chief curator of the Norman Rockwell Museum, and Christine Gevert, Crescendo’s artistic director present “Paintings in Song:‘Visions of Norman Rockwell,’” a multimedia work with choruses, instrumentalists, and graphic animation.
thinkFOOD Conference
ThinkFOOD started in 2014 and is a forum to bring thinkers, activists, entrepreneurs, and community members together for discussions on a range of topics. The event is a collaboration between the Center for Food Studies at Simon's Rock and the wider Berkshire community.
Women and Leadership Summit
The Women and Leadership Summit, held at Simon’s Rock in 2017, connected students from Bard College, Bard Microcollege Holyoke, and Simon’s Rock with ground-breaking women leaders from western Massachusetts. The day-long program explored urgent questions about women’s role in contemporary politics and everyday life.
The South Berkshire Concerts at Simon’s Rock
The South Berkshire Concert Series attracts renowned and emerging performers from around the world who represent a dynamic variety of traditional and inventive programming. Launched over 45 years ago at Simon’s Rock, the series epitomizes the college’s commitment to intellectual dialogue, creative expression, and service to community.