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. DePauw’s Dorothy Garrett Martin Lecture is co-sponsored by the McDermond Center for Management and Entrepreneurship.

2024 Martin Lecture: Kyle Smitley, ’07

The 2024 Dorothy Garrett Martin Lecture in Values and Ethics is entitled “Good People Only,” and will be given by DePauw alumna Kyle Smitley, ’07. Please join us at 7PM on Monday, September 9, in Thompson Recital Hall at the Green Center for Performing Arts for an excellent lecture and follow-up discussion moderated by DePauw students.

Kyle Smitley 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.

Watch the 2024 Martin Lecture  →

Past Martin Lecturers

Dorothy Edwards (2014)
Maysoon Zayid (2015)
Pashon Murray (2016)
Tabitha St. Bernard (2017)
Tarana Burke (2018)
Julia Ioffe (2022)
Deborah Riley Draper (2023)

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.

2024-2025 Conversations

Fall 2024: What’s So Good About Democracy?

October 22, 2024

Given the current political climate, we’ve been hearing a lot about democracy. But what is democracy? And what’s so good about it anyway? Explore these questions and more in a moderated discussion on October 22, 7:00 PM in Peeler Auditorium with DePauw alum and philosopher, John Park, and with DePauw political science professor and political theorist, Smita Rahman. The event will also be available via Live Stream.

This moderated discussion, “What’s So Good About Democracy?”, is part of the Prindle Institute’s Courageous Conversations in Ethics series. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are welcome to attend. We encourage attendees to bring questions, as there will be an extended Q&A session with the guests following the discussion.