The 2013-14 American Studies Institute Distinguished Lecture Series will kick off at Harding University in September with newspaper columnist George Will and will wrap up in March with Dr. Ben Carson, professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

George Will
Sept. 16, 2013, 7:30 p.m., Benson Auditorium

George F. Will’s newspaper column has been syndicated by The Washington Post since 1974. Today, it appears twice weekly in approximately 400 newspapers in the United States and Europe. In 1981, Will became a founding panel member on ABC television’s “This Week.” Altogether, eight collections of Will’s columns have been published, the most recent being “One Man’s America.” Will served as a staff member in the United States Senate from 1970 to 1972. From 1973 through 1976, he was the Washington editor of National Review magazine. Open seating — no ticket necessary.

Carl Camden
Nov. 19, 2013, 7:30 p.m., Benson Auditorium

As president and chief executive officer of Kelly Services, Carl Camden is a recognized thought leader on talent management and how companies can adapt to succeed in the changing economic landscape. In his role at Kelly Services – which serves 98 percent of the Fortune 100 companies – Camden regularly consults with leaders of many of the largest, best-known corporations in the world, providing insight into labor trends and advising on flexible workforce strategies. Open seating — no ticket necessary.

Dave Grossman
Feb. 13, 2014, 7:30 p.m., Benson Auditorium

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman is an internationally recognized scholar, author, soldier and speaker who is an expert in the field of human aggression, the roots of violence and violent crime. Grossman was a West Point psychology professor, a professor of military science, and an Army ranger who has combined his experiences to become the founder of a new field of scientific endeavor, which has been termed “killology.” In this new field, Grossman has made revolutionary new contributions to our understanding of killing in war, the psychological costs of war, the root causes of the current “virus” of violent crime that is raging around the world, and the process of healing the victims of violence in war and peace. He is the author of “On Killing,” which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Open seating — no ticket necessary.

Ben Carson
March 18, 2014, 7:30 p.m., Benson Auditorium

Dr. Benjamin S. Carson Sr. is a professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine where he has directed pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center for more than 25 years. In 1987, he completed the first and only successful separation of Siamese twins conjoined at the back of the head, an accomplishment documented in the award-winning movie “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story,” which was released in 2009 and starred Cuba Gooding Jr. Carson is president and co-founder of the Carson Scholars Fund recently wrote “America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Makes this Nation Great,” which was No. 1 on the New York Times best-sellers list in March 2013. Open seating — no ticket necessary.

Harding is the largest private university in Arkansas and attracts more National Merit Scholars than any other private university in the state. Harding also maintains campuses in Australia, Chile, England, France, Greece, Italy and Zambia. For more information visit www.harding.edu.