The semi-annual luncheons sponsored by the Puget Sound Association of Phi Beta Kappa feature prominent speakers who are experts in their professions and whose chosen topics bear on the Association goal of advancing liberal education.

The following speeches may be read online:

John Churchill, Secretary, Phi Beta Kappa
“Phi Beta Kappa has no interest in being transformed from an object of broad aspiration into a badge of inherited privilege. For that reason we have an interest in reversing the erosion of the arts and sciences, to ensure that they remain broadly available and accessible throughout higher education, so that the influence of their study pervades more fully the culture of the country. Our aim is to advance the capacity of Americans to choose well and wisely, in their careers, in their civic and political lives, in their personal relations, and in their lives as human beings seeking meaning and value.”

Jean Floten, Chancellor, WGU Washington
“Some of us, and I am one, believe that revolution in higher education is occurring right now and the future is so bright you need to wear shades.…  I believe we are witnessing the people who are now shaping that future, but we have to dig to watch them at work and see what they are building.… These tools, like the Internet, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Wikipedia, are changing the way students think, learn, and interact — and their brain patterns are changing. They are also changing the way we see the world.”

Generations X, Y, and Z: The Evolution of Learning in a Multimedia World: Perspectives from a University Librarian
Jill McKinstry, Director, Odegaard Undergraduate Library; Special Assistant to Dean of University Libraries for Undergraduate Education, University of Washington
“The student of today may have more options or ready access to discovery tools, publishing, and production, but the real contributions to new knowledge come about through hard work, diligence, critical evaluation, analysis, and dialogue. There are no proven shortcuts to that. But we do our best to facilitate the process by providing resources, space, and our expertise.”

“Good Germans” and the Holocaust
Robert P. Ericksen, Kurt Mayer Professor of Holocaust Studies, Pacific Lutheran University
“It proved difficult to find resistance to Adolf Hitler within churches or universities.”

Cases and Controversies: Reflections of a Judge on the Judiciary
Washington State Supreme Court Justice Bobbe J. Bridge (retired)
“I am concerned about trends suggesting that our judicial system, and particularly the talented and committed people who wear the robes, are to be subjected to the same ‘lobbying’ and ‘ballot box’ pressures that is to be expected in the executive and legislative branches.”

Origins of the Organization and a Special Tribute
Gerald J. Oppenheimer, Vice President
“Like many other good things, the Puget Sound Association of Phi Beta Kappa owes its existence to a few individuals who recognized a need and an opportunity and took the appropriate actions. These founding mothers and fathers deserve a brief mention.”