People who are making an impact on the world around them will be featured in Elizabethtown College's 2024-25 Lecture Series. Each brings a unique perspective designed to get audiences thinking, said Brad Weltmer, director of communications and social media for the college.

"E-town's Lecture Series is free to attend and offers a tremendous opportunity to be enlightened, engaged and entertained," he shared. "This year's series features three internationally known speakers who are the leading voices on relevant, thought-provoking topics that deeply impact our world."

All three lectures will take place at 7 p.m. in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center on the college campus at 1 Alpha Drive, Elizabethtown.

Winona LaDuke will kick off the series with a talk on Thursday, Oct. 24. She will speak on the topic "The Green Path Ahead: Indigenous Teachings for the Next Economy." Twice selected as a vice presidential candidate for the Green Party, LaDuke is a Native American economist, environmentalist and writer known for her work on tribal land claims and preservation, along with her commitment to sustainability.

On Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, Vicki Sokolik will present "Why We Need to De-Criminalize Poverty." The youth social and health services advocate and author is the founder of Starting Right, Now, a nonprofit that provides social and health services to unhoused students in Florida. Sokolik authored the 2024 book "If You See Them: Young, Unhoused and Alone in America," which explores the crisis of homeless youths in America.

The series will wrap up on Thursday, April 10, 2025, when human rights advocate and Nobel Peace laureate Nadia Murad presents "Nadia's Initiative: Rebuilding Communities, Protecting Survivors." Murad is the recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize and a leading advocate for survivors of genocide and sexual violence. She is author of the New York Times bestselling memoir "The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State."

When choosing speakers for the series, several factors come into play, Weltmer said.

"While speakers bring their own ideals, a committee made up of faculty, staff and student representatives select the speakers each year to provide a variety of backgrounds and perspectives for our students to gain a deeper awareness of a topic impacting society," he explained.

The lectures are open to the public, and Weltmer said the series is part of the college's commitment to serving the greater community.

"The lecture series was developed to enlighten our campus and engage with the surrounding community," he commented. "The college believes sharing diverse views is essential to education and furthers our commitment to civil discourse and the peaceful expression of ideas within our living and learning environment."

People must preregister for each lecture. To register and to learn more about the speakers, visit http://www.etown.edu and search for "Lecture Series."