University of Northern Iowa
09/14/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/14/2026 13:35
UNI to host higher education expert Kevin McClure for Hearst Lecture
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Kevin McClure, a national expert on higher education leadership, workplace culture and the future of colleges and universities, will kick off the 2026-27 Hearst Lecture Series at UNI September 22.
McClure will speak at 5 p.m. in the Reading Room in Seerley Hall. A book signing will be held from 4:30 to 4:50 p.m. in the Reading Room.
The 2026-27 Hearst Lecture Series, hosted by the UNI Department of Languages & Literatures, explores the theme "Care and Empathy in Academia," bringing speakers to campus whose work examines the ways that care, community and human connection can shape education, scholarship and the academic experience.
McClure is professor of higher education and chair of the Department of Educational Leadership at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. His work focuses on college leadership, management, finance and workplace culture, particularly at broad-access institutions. He is also the author of "The Caring University: Reimagining the Higher Education Workplace after the Great Resignation."
The Hearst Lecture Series will continue throughout the academic year with a diverse group of speakers.
The second speaker, H.M. Bouwman, will give a lecture at 7 p.m. October 30 in the Reading Room in Seerley Hall. Bouwman is the author of middle-grade novels including "A Crack in the Sea, A Tear in the Ocean, Gossamer Summer and Scattergood." She is also a college professor who teaches literature and creative writing at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.
On Nov. 17, illustrator, comic artist and graphic novelist Christine Suggs will speak at 5 p.m. in the Kamerick Art Building Room 111. Suggs is the author and artist behind the graphic memoir "¡Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico," which explores bilingualism, family, belonging, cultural identity and generational differences.
The series will conclude with Sarah Donovan, who will give a lecture at 7 p.m. March 24, 2027 at the Reading Room in Seerley Hall. Donovan is the founder of Ethical ELA and a professor of English and teacher education whose work centers on writing, ethical literacy, trauma-informed and justice-oriented pedagogy and creative practice in classrooms.
For more information on the 2026-27 Hearst Lecture Series, visit chas.uni.edu/langlit/hearst-lecture-series.
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