Stout Speaker Series

The series brings influential speakers to campus to promote thoughtful reflection needed by society in the 21st century.
In this Section

Stout Speaker Series logoUW-Stout is pleased to announce the return of the Stout Speaker Series. For over 100 years, UW-Stout has brought inspiring and thought-provoking speakers to campus and the Menomonie community. In the past, faculty groups, a Lyceum Committee and a Stout Student Association speaker committee organized efforts to present speakers. 

The goal of the new Speaker Series is to engage faculty, staff, students, alumni, educators, business, industry and community in our efforts to present speakers. We believe, with your ideas and suggestions, the new speaker series will:

  • generate excitement about Stout's polytechnic mission and values,
  • advance community relationships and cohesion,
  • increase campus exposure throughout the region,
  • strengthen relationships with alumni, partners, collaborators and donors.  

We will strive to bring influential speakers to campus who will promote the thoughtful reflection needed by society in the 21st century. While respecting our enduring goals to maintain a diverse university population and to promote a positive campus climate. 

These engagements will provide the community, faculty, staff and students with the opportunity to think through the trending or challenging topics of the current times.  

Submit your ideas for notable and inspiring speakers

We value your insights and are seeking recommendations for notable, dynamic and inspiring speakers for the Speaker Series. Initial event planning has begun to kick off the series during the 2018-19 school year. Speaker events will be presented every semester with dates and times scheduled based on speaker availability.

Please use the Stout Speaker Series Recommendation form to submit your ideas for a notable topic, dynamic speaker or personal connections to someone you believe would bring a valuable message to our campus and community. 

Past Notable Speakers at UW-Stout

Helen Keller, 1916

Carl Akeley, 1922

Henry Wallace, 1944

John F. Kennedy, 1960

Pearl S. Buck, 1966

Ansel Adams, 1967

Dick Gregory, 1968

Julian Bond, 1970

Bob Dole, 1973

Jonathan Kozol, 1973

Max Lerner, 1974

Gene Roddenberry, 1975

P.J. O’Rourke, 1976

Alan Ginsberg, 1977

Senator Dick Clark versus William Rusher: Sept. 16, 1981

Michael Harrington: Nov. 17, 1981

G. Gordon Liddy: Jan. 26, 1982

Russell Means: March 1, 1982

Senator Birch Bayh vs. Howard Phillips: April 1982

Jean Kilbourne: Sept. 14, 1982

Harvey Wasserman vs. Arnold Kramish: Oct. 1982

Dr. Gerard K. O’Neill: Dec. 8, 1982

Robert Muller: Jan. 18, 1983

Hunter S. Thompson: April 20, 1983

Ralph Nader: Sept. 16, 1980

Frances FitzGerald: Nov. 5, 1980

Paul Ehrlich: Jan. 22, 1981

Daniel Ford: March 3, 1981

Gloria Steinem: April 21, 1981

Robert Ellis Smith: Nov. 14, 1983 

Coretta Scott King: Feb. 14,1984 

John Minczeski,John Krumberger, and Thomas R. Smith: April 9, 1984

Henry Steele Commager: Dec. 1, 1983

Stanley Karnow: April 25, 1984

Michael Carrera: Sept.25, 1984

Maya Angelou: Feb. 14, 1985

Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman: March 5, 1985

Curtis Sliwa: April 10, 1984

John Kerry

George Stephanopoulos, 2001

Eva Schloss, 2015 

CEO discusses transformation of Select Comfort at Cabot event

After Shelly Ibach graduated from UW-Stout, she was hired as a management trainee at Dayton’s in Minneapolis and worked 25 years for the company.
Continue Reading