This Saturday, Oct. 17, guest speaker Dr. Patrick Senatus will be speaking at the University of Hartford as a part of the Walter Harrison Leadership Academy.
Senatus earned his Medical Degree and Ph.D from Harvard University. He is a chief neurosurgeon and a professor of surgery and neurosurgery at the University of Connecticut and Yale.
The Walter Harrison Leadership Academy is a Greek Life initiative that has featured guest speakers with a variety of backgrounds and experience.
Although initially a Greek Life initiative and mandated for new Greek Life members, the speaker series is open to anyone on the University campus.
“It’s to teach these new kids valuable lessons and networking,” University of Hartford Interfraternity Council president Greg Maisch said. “They can meet these people after and connect with them.”
“The Walter Leaderships Academies was started to help and foster leadership qualities of Greek new members,” IFC VP of recruitment and new membership Nick Oliver said. “Now I’m trying to expand it to the whole school.”
Oliver’s focus has been to include more students in the University community to attend, instead of just Greek Life.
“If I make it more inclusive, it’ll give me a better chance of getting better speakers,” Oliver explained.
“Sometimes more engaging speakers cost money sometimes,” Oliver continued. “Maybe we can get some funding from the University.”
CEO Dave Walsh speaking to Greeks at the Walter Harrison Leadership Academy pic.twitter.com/L2AaL3Ntj4
— IFC Hartford (@HartfordIFC) November 15, 2014
It also has the benefit of having the University of Hartford President Walter Harrison stamp of approval.
“Walter Harrison actually sponsors the event,” Maisch said. “Walter has actually taken steps to reach out to these people for us because it obviously comes a lot further from the president of the University over a bunch of students.”
Walter Harrison Leadership Academy speaker events occur every month. Hillyer College Dean David Goldenberg will headline November’s talk while president Harrison himself will be the speaker at December’s event.
The Senatus talk is set for Saturday, Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. in the Auerbach Auditorium in Hillyer Hall.
For more information, you can contact Nick Oliver at noliver@hartford.edu.