Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Spruiell White to give lecture at Luther College on April 28

 Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Spruiell White to give lecture at Luther College April 28

Discussing the benefits of a liberal arts education, Spruiell White, Luther class of 1967, will give the address at this year’s induction ceremony for new members of the Luther College chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. White will present a lecture at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 28 in the Noble Recital Hall of Luther’s Jenson Noble Hall of Music.

The lecture is open to the public with no charge for admission.

White’s visit helps to mark the 50th anniversary of the Black Student Union at Luther College. White retired in 2011 from the MacArthur Foundation as a Senior Program Officer in the U.S. Program after fifteen years of service. Prior to his foundation appointment, he served in a number of executive leadership positions at the Chicago Jobs Council, the Illinois Area United Negro College Fund and Urban League affiliates in San Francisco and Seattle.

White will relate how what seemed like instances of “bait and switch” ended up creating important opportunities in his career and personal life. He will draw lessons from four examples including: the decision to matriculate at Luther; the first job after graduating; the job from which he retired; and how majoring in English provided skills and abilities that undergirded each career posting.

Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest and most prestigious academic honor society in the country. The organization honors the students with the highest academic achievement in liberal arts and sciences from 286 top schools across the nation through a selective, merit-based invitation process. 37 members of the class of 2019 will be inducted.

A national liberal arts college with an enrollment of 2,005, Luther offers an academic curriculum that leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree in more than 60 majors and pre-professional programs. For more information about Luther visit the college’s website: http://www.luther.edu.