First established at DePauw University in 2014, The Dorothy Garrett Martin Lecture in Values is hosted annually by the Prindle Institute with generous support from the Delta Gamma Foundation. The lectureship is designed to establish a unique venue on campus for open and distinctively public discussion of difficult (and sometimes disagreeable) ethical issues. Martin Lectures at DePauw have featured renowned scholars and practitioners seeking to do moral good, and spanning diverse occupations and disciplines. Past lecturers have included educators, journalists, activists, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, and more.

2025 Martin Lecture: Andrew Westover

The 2025 Dorothy Garrett Martin Lecture in Values and Ethics will be delivered by Dr. Andrew Westover, Ph.D., Eleanor M. Storza Deputy Director of Learning and Civic Engagement at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. Westover’s lecture, “Conflict in Public: The Art Museum Now,” will explore how museums serve as civic spaces where art, ideas, and ethical challenges intersect. An educator and ethicist, Westover leads programs that connect art and ideas to inspire civic life, curates the museum’s celebrated picture book exhibition series, and recently founded the High Museum Institute for Teaching with Art.

Please join us at 7PM on Monday, September 29, in Thompson Recital Hall at the Green Center for the Performing Arts for this lecture, followed by a moderated discussion with Dr. Alex Richardson, Associate Director of the Prindle Institute for Ethics, on the ethical challenges museums and other cultural institutions face as public spaces for civic engagement.

Past Martin Lecturers

Dorothy Edwards (2014)  is the founder and president of Alteristic, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing power-based violence through education and community mobilization. She also created the Green Dot violence prevention strategy. Her work has shaped prevention efforts across schools, military bases, and communities in the U.S. and abroad.

Maysoon Zayid (2015) is a comedian, actress, and disability rights advocate whose work tackles stereotypes with humor and heart. She co-founded the New York Arab-American Comedy Festival and has delivered widely viewed TED Talks. Zayid uses her platform to explore identity, disability, and inclusion in the arts and beyond.

Pashon Murray (2016)  is an environmental innovator and co-founder of Detroit Dirt, a composting initiative turning food waste into soil for urban farming. Her work champions sustainability, waste reduction, and environmental justice. Murray has been recognized nationally for her leadership, including in campaigns for Ford Motors.

Tabitha St. Bernard (2017) is a designer, organizer, and activist bridging fashion and social justice. She co-founded the zero-waste clothing line Tabii Just and played a key leadership role in the Women’s March. Her advocacy focuses on youth empowerment, intersectionality, and sustainable design.

Tarana Burke (2018) is a founder of the #MeToo movement and a longtime advocate for survivors of sexual violence. She launched the campaign in 2006 to support marginalized communities and has since become a global leader in the fight for justice and healing.

Julia Ioffe (2022) is a founding partner and Washington correspondent at Puck, known for her incisive reporting on Russia and U.S. foreign policy. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Politico, and more. A Fulbright Scholar, she previously reported from Moscow and studied Soviet history at Princeton.

Deborah Riley Draper (2023) is an award-winning filmmaker and storyteller whose work explores Black history and culture. Her credits include 13 Days in Ferguson, Twenty Pearls, and James Brown: Say It Loud. Draper also brings a creative vision honed through global advertising campaigns for brands like Coca-Cola and Adidas.

Kyle Smitley (2024) is the Founder and Executive Director of the Detroit Achievement Academy in Detroit, Michigan. Detroit Achievement Academy is a public charter school with a focus on project-based learning and on learning about, growing, and eating healthy foods. Inc. Magazine has named Smitley among the 30 Coolest Entrepreneurs Under 30, and Forbes has named her a Top Ten Entrepreneur to Watch.

Our Courageous Conversations in Ethics event series creates a unique forum where challenging moral issues of our time are explored with intellectual rigor, emotional intelligence, and mutual respect. Rather than adversarial debates or partisan arguments, we foster an environment where diverse perspectives can illuminate different facets of complex ethical questions.

Each event brings together thought leaders, practitioners, and community members who hold differing–and sometimes opposing–viewpoints on critical moral issues. Our speakers engage in moderated discussions that move beyond surface-level disagreements to examine the underlying values, experiences, and reasoning that shape their positions.

Join us for our upcoming events where we tackle difficult topics with curiosity, compassion, and intellectual humility. While we may not always reach agreement, we believe that the process of engaging in thoughtful dialogue across differences makes us better equipped to address the ethical challenges of our time.

2025-2026 Conversations

Fall 2025: Rolling the Dice On Sports Gambling

October 22, 2025, 7PM, Watson Forum
Live Stream →

Sports gambling is one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S.—and one of the most ethically complicated. From questions of regulation and enforcement to issues of fairness, responsibility, and the integrity of the games themselves, the stakes are high both on and off the field. Join us as three leading voices bring their distinct perspectives to this conversation: David Rebuck, former Director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement; Brianne Doura-Schawohl, global consultant and responsible gaming advocate; and Mark Hicks, Managing Director at the NCAA. Together, they’ll explore the values and trade-offs at the heart of this rapidly changing landscape.