McMaster School for Advancing Humanity to hold annual symposium April 13 - 14

April 5, 2016 

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance College’s McMaster School for Advancing Humanity will hold its twelfth annual McMaster Symposium April 13 - 14 on the DC campus. The theme will be “The Question of Individual Liberties as Critical to Improving the Human Condition.” All presentations are free and open to the public.

Keynote speaker Dr. Gai Ferdon will speak on Wednesday, April 13, at 7 p.m. in Schomburg Auditorium. Dr. Ferdon’s areas of specialization include constitutional government and free enterprise, American government honors, state and local government, political economy and public policy, American political ideas, American constitutional history, and public policy development in the political environment.

Her educational background has been intermingled with life-changing missionary and instructional experiences over approximately 25 years, in both the United States and abroad.

Dr. Ferdon is the author of several books including A Republic If You Can Keep It: America's Authentic Liberty Confronts Contemporary Counterfeits and Constitutional Government and Free Enterprise: A Biblical Christian Worldview Approach and Emphasis.

Thursday morning begins with opening remarks at 9. Dr. Ferdon will lead a break-out session at 9:30 a.m.  

Lunch table discussions will focus on a variety of issues surrounding humanity in today’s headlines.

Break-out sessions include speakers from McMaster Learning Communities of Cambodia, Panama, Belize, and Tanzania.

Additional topics will be presented such as:

• “The Impact of Human Trafficking on Individual Liberties in Cambodia”
• “If McDonald’s, Starbucks, Snapchat, and iPad are the Same in the World, Why Cannot Political Systems?”
• “Project 701/Defiance 2100: Working Together to Solve Complex Problems”
• “Water Quality Issues: Local to Global"
• “Activism Through Campus Organizations”
• “Defiance College FAGIN Project”
• “Design at Defiance: Addressing Society’s Needs Through Design”

On Friday, April 8, the Carolyn M. Small Honors Program will present its annual spring symposium. Through poster and oral presentations, DC students will present research and scholarly works related to their course work.

For more information about the symposium and a schedule, visit the symposium website.

Defiance College, chartered in 1850, is an independent, liberal arts institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The college website is www.defiance.edu.