From the Hill to Real Life: The Last Lecture
There are many traditions that bind us together as Oles — from special events like Christmas Festival and the Cereal Bowl to routine happenings like Friday flowers and Pause pizza.
Even though the Last Lecture is a tradition held by many colleges across the country, it holds real significance at St. Olaf College, where our seniors vote for one professor — among many favorite and life-changing academic mentors — to deliver a final message to their class.
This year the Last Lecture will be delivered to the Class of 2020 virtually by Associate Professor of Religion David Booth. The public is welcome to join the Class of 2020 in viewing his speech, titled “Signs of the Times,” on Thursday, May 21, 2020, at 11 a.m. CDT through the college website.
Learn more about the Last Lecture tradition from a professor who has, perhaps, delivered it more than any other in St. Olaf’s history: Oscar and Gertrude Boe Overby Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Charles Taliaferro. He is the featured guest on the latest episode of the college podcast From the Hill to Real Life, discussing his history with this honor, and why he often chooses to make love a central theme of his message to seniors.