Three Taps of the Gavel AddressClosing of the 144th Assembly Michael E. Hill18th President of Chautauqua InstitutionAugust 27, 2017 “When I was a kid, ‘sanctuary’ meant only one thing. It was the big room with the stained-glass windows and hard wooden benches where my family worshipped every Sunday. Church attendance was not optional for my sisters and me, so that sanctuary was where I learned to pray — pray that the service would end and God would release me back into the wild. I also learned that not all prayers are answered, no matter how ardent.” These words from Parker...
President Michael Hill’s Remarks for the Charlottesville Vigil I confess to being at a loss today in the wake of what can only be described as an act of homegrown terrorism perpetrated on good people in Charlottesville, Virginia this past weekend. I am at a loss to offer words that might attempt to make sense out of something so senseless. I am at a loss to provide an adequate expression of sympathy to those who continue to feel beaten down by hatred and ignorance and the cancer that is racism. I am at a loss to think of a way...
Following a selection of Mendelssohn performed by a Student Octet of the Music School Festival Orchestra, Timothy Muffit, Music Director The invitation for today’s event asked you to join me for my first President’s Address to the Bestor Society. This has been a season of firsts for me as the 18th President of Chautauqua, and truth be told, as I progress with you through our 144th Assembly, I feel both a briskness in the pace of this season and, at moments, as if time has simply stopped, asking us to pause and to drink in all the blessings this sacred place...
Twelve sailors from many different locations flocked to Chautauqua Institution in late May for a four-day course to achieve their Level 1 Small Boat Instructor Certifications for on- and off-water instruction. Much like schoolteachers have to go through extensive training in order to receive all of their proper certifications, so must sailing instructors. During these courses, it is crucial that the students not only learn proper on-water safety techniques, get vital hands-on time with small boats and understand important procedures, but also find new efficient, creative ways to teach this knowledge to others. According to the course directors, some of...
The Chautauqua Lakers of Special Olympics New York’s Western Region visited Chautauqua Golf Club Tuesday to sharpen their skills, learn golf etiquette, play a few holes, and — most importantly — connect with friends while having fun. Every Tuesday, the Chautauqua Lakers bring approximately 40 athletes and 25 volunteers to Chautauqua Golf Club, setting up skill games all over the practice facilities in an attempt to simulate what an actual Special Olympics event would look like. Athletes practice putting, chip shots, pitch shots, iron shots, wood shots and then, after proving that they can play at a more advanced...
Chautauqua Golf Club and Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy joined forces Monday to host a golf tournament to benefit the Conservancy. Twenty-eight foursomes, each consisting of three amateurs and one PGA professional, took to the Lake Course to help raise nearly $45,000 for the local nonprofit. “The overarching goal (of the tournament) was to support the mission of the organization and raise funds so that we have the resources to work with landowners to deliver cleaner waters and a healthy watershed,” said John Jablonski III, executive director of Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy. Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy works with landowners around Chautauqua Lake to...
President Michael E. Hill Delivers His Three Taps Of The Gavel Address To Open The 2017 Season During Sunday’s Morning Worship Service June 25, 2017 In The Amphitheater. Photo by: Dave Munch, Chautauquan Daily Read the full speach in the Chautauquan Daily,
Civility in Discourse: The Past, Present, and Future of Adult Civic Learning Free Lecture – Wednesday, May 17th, 2017, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM Jefferson Educational Society In a world no longer easily defined by religion, occupation or geography, can cultural institutions bridge generational divides, such as those between digital immigrants and digital natives? How can “institutions,” which by their very name are distrusted by the millennial generation, continue to be a driving force in shaping the cultural landscape in the age of continuous connection and partial attention? And, how can we embrace natural and unlikely partnerships alike to achieve relevance...
Chautauqua Institution to Grow Youth Programming Chautauqua Institution President Michael E. Hill today announced the appointment of David Griffith to the position of Vice President and Emily & Richard Smucker Chair for Education effective Sept. 1. Griffith is currently Director of Creative Writing for Interlochen Center for the Arts in Interlochen, Michigan. Griffith will replace longtime incumbent Sherra Babcock who will retire following the close of the 2017 Chautauqua season. He will manage and provide administrative leadership for Youth Programs, Special Studies, the Smith Memorial Library, Chautauqua Archives, the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (CLSC), the Writers’ Center, and...
Chautauqua Institution today announced the appointment of Emily F. Morris, Ph.D., as vice president of marketing and communications and chief brand officer. Morris is an experienced leader and executive in higher education, having previously served in similar roles at nearby universities St. Bonaventure and Edinboro. She is currently executive communications director at Kent State University. “I’m elated that Emily has agreed to join our team and help us continue to raise Chautauqua’s profile as a national leader in curating conversation on matters that shape our world,” said Michael E. Hill, president of Chautauqua Institution. “Her extensive experience in communications,...