Trevor Noah to Visit DePauw for Final Ubben Lecture Series Event

The Ubben Lecture Series hosted its first guest on November 5, 1986, when Colorado Governor Richard Lamm spoke in Meharry Hall on the subject of "Health Care in the Age of Technology." In the years that followed, the series grew exponentially, attracting a broad spectrum of global figures such as Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, Malala Yousafzai, Jane Goodall, Bill Clinton and Jesse Jackson. It also featured several notable DePauw alumni, including Lee Hamilton '52, Vernon E. Jordan Jr. '57 and Dan Quayle '69. Every speaker brought a different perspective, and in so doing they all helped introduce the world to DePauw - and DePauw to the world.

"This series has been a gift to the campus, to the community, to the state, to the region," said Ken Owen '82, director of the Ubben Lecture Series from 2001 through 2025. "Tim and Sharon are to be commended for being great stewards of this series and making sure that it represented a broad audience. It never became a thing where it was limited to a certain group of people or a certain ideology."

From the very beginning of the lecture series, Tim and Sharon maintained a central role, carefully curating each event to deliver the best possible outcome. Their involvement shaped the direction and growth of the series, and it also served as a model of enduring devotion and dedication for all of their fellow alumni.

"People would call all the time and say, 'How did you get Benazir Bhutto? How did you get Liz Murray? How did you get these people?'" recalled Sharon Ubben. "There was always a story behind it. Tim and I worked together. That's why we called it our lectureship. He was the instigator, but we were both involved in every speaker. Every one."

The End of an Era

As the Ubben Lecture Series reaches the 40-year mark, this high standard of involvement is at the heart of the decision to bring it to a close. In order to preserve its legacy and retain its intimate connection to the Ubbens' vision, the university is honoring Sharon's desire to end the series with the upcoming visit by Trevor Noah.

"When Tim died, I was asked if I would like to have a committee help me pick out our speakers," said Sharon. "And I said, 'No, I'm doing that. I don't want somebody else picking out my speakers.' I want to have the series end as Sharon and Tim's lectureship. It's been quite a show, quite a ride, quite a legacy."

Tim and Sharon's legacy of bringing the world to DePauw will continue on after the final lecture. The endowed funds, at Sharon's request, will be used to support the Bold, Gold & You! campaign and its emphasis on scholarships that make a DePauw education accessible for students from across the country and around the world.

"The Ubbens have impacted - and will continue to impact - every person that stepped foot on this campus," said Ken Owen. "It's testimony to the fact that relationships matter. And DePauw, at its very finest is relationships. It's about people who know each other, who care about each other, who remember each other, who reach out and keep those connections going. The Ubben Lecture Series was one way that they were able to bring all those parties together and make them celebrate this thing that is DePauw. It's a sad and reflective moment, but it's also a time to celebrate the fact that we had this opportunity. It was as impactful as any lecture series could be."

As with all Ubben Lecture Series events, Trevor Noah's appearance will be free and open to the public. The event will take place on Thursday, April 30, at 6:30 p.m in the Neal Fieldhouse, with the doors to the Lilly Center opening at 5 p.m. Free tickets for the event will be available via Eventbrite. Tickets will be available to DePauw students at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18, and to DePauw faculty and staff members and the public at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 19.