In recognition of the commitment and contributions of longtime University President Steve Morgan and his wife, Ann, the University of La Verne will honor the two prominent alumni with a week of events, culminating April 2 with a dedication ceremony at the university’s newly renovated historic auditorium.
Steve Morgan, who earned his bachelor’s degree from La Verne in 1968, will retire on June 30 after 26 years as his alma mater’s president. In February 2010 the Board of Trustees – at the request of a group of leading donors – voted unanimously to rename the soon to be refurbished Founders Auditorium as the Ann & Steve Morgan Auditorium.
The schedule features four noted speakers on consecutive nights. They include best-selling author and organizational consultant Warren Bennis, hosted by the College of Business & Public Management, on March 28; educator and author Erin Gruwell, hosted by the College of Education & Organizational Leadership, on March 29; retired California Supreme Court Justice Carlos R. Moreno, hosted by the College of Law, on March 30; and award-winning journalist and author Mark I. Pinsky, hosted by the College of Arts & Sciences, on March 31.
Other dedication week events include the annual Faculty Book Day on March 29; a variety show for students hosted by comedian/actor Jim Tavaré on April 1; and the formal dedication celebration on April 2 featuring a concert by La Verne faculty members.
There is no admission charge to any of the Dedication Week events. However, due to the intimate design of Morgan Auditorium, seating is extremely limited. Interested individuals are advised to check online at http://laverne.edu/morgan-auditorium/events/ for availability.
● Monday, March 28 – Noted author, lecturer and organizational consultant Warren Bennis will deliver a lecture called “Still Surprised: A Memoir of a Life in Leadership,” which is also the name of one of his books. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. Bennis, Distinguished Professor of Business Administration and Founding Chair of The Leadership Institute at USC, has been called one of 10 business school professors who have had the greatest influence on business thinking by BusinessWeek. The Financial Times named his classic book “Leaders” one of its top 50 books.
● Tuesday, March 29 – Faculty Book Day “Twenty-six years of Publications” at 11:10 a.m. This year’s Faculty Book Day will recognize all faculty and administrator publications from the last 26 years. The university will present Morgan a bound volume containing a list of all of those publications.
At 7:30 p.m., Erin Gruwell will deliver a lecture called “Freedom Writers.” As a teacher, Gruwell transformed the lives of students at Wilson High School in Long Beach, many of whom had been cast off as “unteachable.” The students and Gruwell wrote “The Freedom Writers Diary,” which became the basis for the 2007 motion picture “Freedom Writers” starring Hilary Swank. Gruwell serves as president of the Freedom Writers Foundation.
● Wednesday, March 30 – Retired California Supreme Court Justice Carlos R. Moreno will speak on “The Evolution of Family in California” at 7:30 p.m. Justice Moreno grew up in the working-class neighborhoods of Central Los Angeles, graduated from Yale University and went on to Stanford Law School. Justice Moreno was the only member of the court who voted in 2008 to block enforcement of Proposition 8 while the court was considering its constitutionality.
● Thursday, March 31 – Veteran journalist and author Mark I. Pinsky will speak on “Faith, Media & Pop Culture” beginning at 7:30 p.m. Pinsky’s books include “The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World’s Most Animated Family” and “The Gospel According to Disney: Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust.” His syndicated work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Boston Globe, Newsday, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Washington Star, the Christian Science Monitor and the Miami Herald.
● Friday, April 1 – La Verne students will enjoy an evening of entertainment with a special Variety Show at 7:30 p.m. Master of Ceremonies for event is comedian and actor Jim Tavaré, who studied drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and co-wrote a 13-part series with Ricky Gervais. Musician Kurt Scobie and spoken word artist & award-winning poet Gabriela Garcia Medina are also featured performers.
● Saturday, April 2 – The Ann & Steve Morgan Auditorium Dedication Concert featuring La Verne faculty members Reed Gratz, James Calhoun and Michael Ryan at 8 p.m.
The evening’s events begin with a dessert reception at 6:45 p.m. on the first floor of the university’s Campus Center. At 7:30, members of the university’s West African Drum Ensemble will perform and then escort guests to the auditorium.
Gratz, an accomplished musician and composer, is chair of La Verne’s Music Department. He has worked with such artists as George Russell, Herb Alpert, Bruce Hornsby, John Patitucci, Barbara Morrison, Alex Acuna and Konstantin Ruchadze, and has composed music for a dozen plays. Calhoun, director of choral activities at La Verne, has a distinguished history as conductor, accompanist, and vocalist. He recently completed 24 years serving as organist, choral director and director of music ministries at the historic Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Ryan, a 1975 La Verne graduate, teaches guitar, chamber music and songwriting. He performs extensively in the United States and in Europe.
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