Presidential Speaker Series returns this fall with AI pioneer Kevin Surace, November 4

Illinois State is pleased to announce the return of the Presidential Speaker Series for fall 2025.

As part of the series, one guest speaker each semester will be invited to campus throughout the year. This series will provide invaluable opportunities for the college community to engage with influential individuals from various fields, fostering intellectual growth and a deeper understanding of complex topics. 

All presentations will be free and open to the public.

To kick off the return of this important tradition, Kevin Surace, the "Father" of the virtual assistant, Silicon Valley innovator, serial entrepreneur, CEO, and futurist, will be our first speaker.

Please mark your calendars to join us on:

• Tuesday, November 4, 2025
• 7 p.m.
• Brown Ballroom, Bone Student Center

Surace was INC. Magazines' Entrepreneur of the Year, a CNBC top Innovator of the Decade, World Economic Forum Teach Pioneer, chair of Silicon Valley Forum, and Planet Forward Innovator the Year nominee. He also was featured for five years on TechTV's Silicon Spin and inducted into the Rochester Institute of Technology's Hall of Fame.

He has 94 worldwide patents and led pioneering work on the first cellular data smartphone, the first human-like AI virtual assistant, soundproof drywall, high R-value windows, and AI-driven building management, to name a few.

For more information, visit Kevin Surace's website.

If you need a special accommodation to fully participate, please contact Presidential and Trustee Events at (309) 438-8790 or [email protected]. Please allow sufficient time to arrange the accommodation.