Mary and Louis Fusco Distinguished Lecture Series

The Mary and Louis Fusco Distinguished Lecture Series is a major intellectual event in the greater New Haven area, each year bringing a political, social, or creative leader to campus.

Michael Phelps

The lectures present the Southern community and the community at large with rare opportunities to hear a variety of viewpoints on topics that influence their lives and profoundly affect their futures.

Distinguished Lecturers in the Series

2023 Spike Lee
Writer, director, producer, actor, and author
Spike Lee
2019 Michael Phelps
Olympic Champion Swimmer
Michael Phelps
2018 Joe Biden
Former Vice President
joe-biden
2017 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
NBA Legend, Social Justice Advocate, Cancer Survivor
kareem abdul-jabar
2016 Robin Roberts
Co-Anchor, ABC News' Good Morning America
robin roberts
2015 Mariano Rivera 
Joe Torre
New York Yankees Legends
mo rivera and joe torre
2014 Jay Leno
Former Host of The Tonight Show
jay leno
2013 Alan Alda
Actor, Science Advocate
alan alda
2012 Mark Kelly
Astronaut
mark kelly
2011 Michael J. Fox
Actor and Author
michael j fox
2010 Apolo Ohno
Olympic Speed-Skating Champion
apolo ohno
2009 Peter Gammons
ESPN Commentator

Brian Cashman
New York Yankees General Manager

gammons and cashman
2008 Tim Russert
Political Journalist and Analyst
tim russert
2007 Whoopi Goldberg
Actor, Comic, Humanitarian
whoopi goldberg
2006 Bill Belichick
Head Coach, New England Patriots
bill belichick
2005 Madeleine Albright
Former U.S. Secretary of State
madeleine albright
2004 Mario Cuomo
Former Governor, New York
mario cuomo
2003 Rudolph Giuliani
Former Mayor, New York City
giuliani
2002 Ehud Barak
Former Prime Minister of Israel
ehud barak
2001 Dana and Christopher Reeve
Actors, Disability Rights Activists
dana and christopher reeves
2000 Walter Cronkite
Former Broadcast Journalist
walter cronkite
1999 Colin Powell
Former U.S. Secretary of State
colin powell