Past Events
Chloe Kim, professional snowboarder and two-time Olympic gold medalist, spoke at Old Main Chapel on September 12, 2023. Kim has seen great success in the snowboarding world. Along with her Olympic medals, she has two world championship titles under her belt. Along with her athletic accomplishments, Kim founded a media and commerce company known as Togethxr with other professional female athletes. Togethxr works to create a space for women in sports and helps with representation and coverage in women's sports.
Kal Penn, actor and former White House staff member, spoke in the Glenn Miller Ballroom on April 11, 2023. Penn has starred in hit movies such as Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and The Namesake. After working on former president Barack Obama's election campaign in 2008, Penn was offered and accepted the position of Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs. Through his position, Penn served as a liaison for the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities. After the Obama administration ended, Penn journeyed back to acting and also wrote a memoir titled, You Can't Be Serious.
Jennette McCurdy, author and former actress, spoke at Macky Auditorium on November 7, 2022. After stepping back from acting, McCurdy published her #1 New York Times Bestselling memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died, in 2022. In the book, McCurdy uses dark humor to cover the events of her life that include addiction, eating disorders, and the complicated relationship she shared with her mother. McCurdy's book stayed at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for 43 consecutive weeks after the book's release.
Alex Honnold, American rock climber, spoke at Macky Auditorium to a sold out audience on November 1, 2021. Honnold was the first person to free solo (climbing without ropes) a route up Yosemite National Park's famous El Capitan. From this climb came an Academy Award-winning documentary titled, Free Solo, that starred Honnold and beautifully brought the story of his climb up El Capitan to the big screen. Honnold has authored a memoir titled, Alone on the Wall and has since worked on projects that combat climate change and promote renewable energy.
Turnbull, the 29th prime minister of Australia, has over a decade of political experience on the national level, serving in various leadership capacities in parliament before serving as prime minister from 2015 to 2018. He spoke virtually on Nov. 9, 2020.
Turnbull has been an outspoken political advocate for a variety of relevant issues throughout his political career. From climate change to immigration to same-sex marriage, Malcol Turnbull has been on the front lines of these important and relevant conversations. His speech focused on his career, climate change mitigation efforts, the 2020 U.S. presidential election and the future of U.S.–Australia relations.
Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi and Alicia Garza, co-founders of the Black Lives Matter Global Network, gave a virtual talk to the CU Boulder community on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020.
The event centered around the current political climate and the Black Lives Matter movement, from exploring its roots to what it has accomplished today.
Founder of the Los Angeles-based grassroots organization Dignity and Power Now, Cullors has worked for 20 years on criminal justice reform. She was named one of Time Magazine’s 2020 100 Women of the Year and is the author of The New York Times bestselling book When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir. For more than a decade, Tometi has been executive director of the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI), the first immigrant rights organization for people of African descent in the United States. Winner of the 2019 Coretta Scott King Center Award and Douglass 200 Award, Tometi works globally on social justice issues.An internationally recognized organizer, writer and public speaker, Garza’s work has appeared in Time, Mic, Marie Claire, The Guardian, Elle.com, Essence Magazine and The New York Times. She currently works as the strategy and partnerships director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance.
Comedian and host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, participated in a moderated discussion about his life, his work and the topics of today on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020.
Trevor Noah is the most successful comedian in Africa and is the host of the The Daily Show on Comedy Central. The Daily Show has won a variety of prestigious awards with Noah at the helm. Trevor has also written, produced and starred in many comedy specials and sold out shows across five continents.
In November 2016, Trevor released his first book Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, which became an instant New York Times bestseller. The book received the Thurber Prize for American Humor and two NAACP Image Awards, one for outstanding literary work by a debut author and another for outstanding literary work in the biography/autobiography category.
In April 2018, Noah launched The Trevor Noah Foundation, a youth development initiative that enhances youth preparedness for higher education or entry into the workforce. Noah’s vision is a South Africa that advances because each generation builds and must grow beyond its predecessor. Through a partnership with Microsoft, the foundation is able to provide under-resourced schools with the opportunity to use technology as a tool to enhance the learning experience, as well as increase digital literacy beyond the classroom.
Viola Davis spoke on Thursday, Apr. 4, 2019, at CU Boulder’s Macky Auditorium. Davis is known for her intriguing and groundbreaking roles. She is the first black actress to win competitive Tony, Oscar and Emmy awards in addition to being the most Academy Award-nominated black actress in history.
Audiences across the United States and internationally have admired her for her work, including her celebrated, Oscar-nominated performances in Fences (2017), The Help (2011), Doubt (2008), as well as her role in ABC’s How To Get Away With Murder. In little more than 15 years as a professional actress, Davis has given her audiences a substantial list of performances, earning a cascade of awards and nominations.
Alongside her acting career, Davis and her husband founded JuVee Productions in 2012, a multi-ethnic production company that helps develop independent film, television, theater, VR and other digital content. Some of their projects include, Custody (2016), Lila and Eve (2015) and Vee-Jay Records.
Scott Kelly, former commander of the International Space Station (ISS) and U.S. Navy Captain, spoke at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Macky Auditorium on Oct. 3, 2018.
Kelly began his career as an engineer, fighter and test pilot for the U.S. Navy. As the American record holder for the most consecutive days spent in space, Kelly has flown on four space flights, piloting three International Space Station missions. Kelly has also won numerous awards, including the United States Naval Aviator Badge, the NASA Outstanding leadership Medal, and Navy Achievement Medal. His book, Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery, was recently featured on the New York Times bestseller list.
Anderson Cooper, an award-winning journalist and host of CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360°, spoke at Macky Auditorium on Mar. 6, 2018.
“Cooper is a highly distinguished speaker and journalist who has captured international audiences with his astute and nuanced reporting,” said CU Boulder student Jessica Yan, chair of the Distinguished Speakers Board. “His insight in current affairs will challenge us to think critically about the media we choose to believe, especially in a shifting social and political landscape.”
Cooper has worked as a CNN and CBS 60 Minutes correspondent, playing a pivotal role in CNN’s coverage of international and political events. Throughout his career, he has reported in more than 40 countries. In addition to his success within journalism, he has won 16 Emmy awards, alongside the Edward R. Murrow and Peabody awards.