'ThinK' series at West campus offers lectures, films

A visit to Arizona State University’s West campus by best-selling author Wes Moore is among the highlights of the fall semester’s ThinK (Tuesdays here in the Kiva) series. The public is invited to these lectures, films and demonstrations, presented by ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.

There is no admission charge for ThinK events. Visitor parking on campus costs $2 per hour.

Moore’s visit is in conjunction with New College’s freshman book project, which has all incoming freshmen reading the New York Times bestseller “The Other Wes Moore.” The book, hailed as a “moving exploration of roads not taken,” was written by an investment banker, Rhodes scholar, and former aide to Condoleezza Rice who was intrigued when he learned that another Wes Moore, his approximate age and from the same area of Greater Baltimore, was wanted for killing a policeman.

Moore wrote a letter to his doppelganger and received a reply. Through visits with him in prison, and conversations with his family and friends, Moore discovered parallels between their lives.

Moore is scheduled to visit the West campus on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 5 p.m.

“New College’s freshman book project and ThinK series are designed to build a sense of community on the West campus and encourage New College students, from the start of their college careers, to make connections and develop leadership skills,” said Anne Suzuki, the college’s assistant dean of enrollment management.

“The book project gives students a platform to be able to talk to people all over campus, from fellow students to professors and staff members,” Suzuki said. “Freshmen in the W. P. Carey School of Business and staff in the Educational Outreach and Student Services office are reading it as well.”

With the exception of Moore’s presentation on a Wednesday, most ThinK events are scheduled for Tuesdays at 4 p.m. in the Kiva Lecture Hall, part of the Sands Classroom Building on campus at 4701 W. Thunderbird Road.

The schedule is:

• Aug. 30 – The series kicks off with Crystal Gustavson, digital media manager for the ASU Alumni Association, offering a presentation about social media entitled “Welcome to ASU – Let’s Connect.” (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Sept. 6 – New College faculty member Luis Plascencia discusses “Corruption at the Gates: The Actions of Government Officials on the Mexico-United States Boundary Area.” (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Sept. 13 – Isabel Ferrales from ASU Career Services offers a presentation focusing on “High-Impact Careers.” (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Sept. 20 – New College faculty member Theresa Devine addresses “Considering Games as Art.” (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Sept. 27 – This kickoff event for the ASU Changemaker project focuses on providing students with change-making tools and strategies. (6 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Oct. 4 – Gary Naumann, director of the Spirit of Enterprise Center in ASU's W. P. Carey School of Business, discusses "Debunking Entrepreneurial Myths." (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Oct. 12 (Wednesday) – Best-selling author Wes Moore discusses “One Name, Two Fates: The Consequences of Personal Responsibility.” Co-sponsors for this special event include New College; the W. P. Carey School of Business; Educational Outreach and Student Services; Barrett, The Honors College; the Campus Environment Team; and Fletcher Library. (Special time and location: 5 p.m. in the University Center Building, La Sala Ballroom)

• Oct. 18 – New College alumnus Nova Hall discusses his exhibit “Flying Over Time: The Spirit of St. Louis.” Hall is the grandson of Donald A. Hall, designer of the custom-built monoplane flown solo by Charles Lindbergh across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Oct. 25 – Visiting scholar Andrew Ross discusses “Urban Sustainability in the Age of Climate Justice: Lessons from Metro Phoenix.” Ross, a professor at New York University, authored the book “Bird on Fire: Lessons from the World’s Least Sustainable City.” (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Nov. 1 – Cheryl Kaufman from ASU food service provider ARAMARK will offer a pre-Thanksgiving turkey carving lesson as part of her presentation “It’s November, Time to Talk Turkey.” (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Nov. 8 – The award-winning documentary film “Jubanos: The Jews of Cuba” will be screened. The film tells the history of Jews on the island nation before and after the advent of communism. This event, which also includes a dramatic reading and performance along with audience discussion, is part of the “Memory & Countermemory” symposium to be held Nov. 6-8 at ASU’s Tempe and West campuses. (Special time, 6-9 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Nov. 15 – Craig Fennell, ASU’s director of student financial assistance, discusses “Scholarships, Grants, Federal Work Study, Loans, Oh My! Where Do You Qualify?” (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Nov. 22 – Lauryn Vosburgh, a health educator from ASU Health & Wellness, discusses “Stress Management.” (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

• Nov. 29 – Alan Goldman, director of faculty for the W. P. Carey School of Business at the West campus, discusses his research focusing on “Toxic Leaders.” (4 p.m. in the Kiva)

For more information about ThinK events, contact Heidi Maxwell, New College’s events manager, at (602) 543-4521 or heidi.maxwell@asu.edu.