Thirteen years ago, Philip Eliasoph, director of the art history program at Fairfield, was driving back from a New York City Y around midnight when the concept of the Open VISIONS Forum hit him.
The 92nd Street Y is a renowned community and cultural center in Manhattan that schedules debates, discussions and lectures to encourage an exchange of ideas about art, culture and political opinion.
However, the time-consuming and expensive commute into Manhattan deters many Fairfield County residents from taking advantage of this resource. Between gas money, parking garages, tickets and dinner beforehand, the night can quickly become expensive.
Eliasoph, who has been teaching at Fairfield for 32 years, recognized that the University has an outstanding faculty and community that would be receptive to hearing about critical issues of our day.
He proceeded to draw up the road map for initializing the program and presented it to the administration. He received a lot of support from Academic Vice President Orin Grossman, who ensured the implementation of the proposal.
Eliasoph also collaborated with his friends at The Connecticut Forum, which was founded in 1992. The forum hosts a wide range of speakers in a discussion setting, a model for the format of the Open VISIONS Forum. Here, Eliasoph and other members shared information over which speakers were flexible and who would engage student and community interest.
“Since then, the series has built its own momentum and has organic exponential growth,” said Eliasoph.
Ten years after the program was first implemented, Fairfield University has hosted many prominent and engaging speakers, including political commentator Bill O’Reilly, author Frank McCourt, filmmaker Ken Burns, MTV news correspondent Gideon Yago and former prime minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto.
The first two or three years were challenging as the Open VISIONS Forum had to acquire sponsors and be creative in putting together programs.
“There is no magic wand,” said Eliasoph. “Each speaker is a separate fox hunt that takes patience.”
Although most speakers are booked over a year in advance, some have taken up to three years to come to the University.
Budgetary concerns also play a role in booking speakers.
“If you wave enough money, anyone can come speak,” said Eliasoph. “Tim Russert, Brian Williams and Bill O’Reilly agree to come to the stage at Fairfield University because of the kindness of a friend or through people that I have asked to be intermediaries and I am greatly indebted to them. We could never afford their speaking fees otherwise.”
The Quick Center houses 750 students, with subscribers and patrons taking up 600 of those seats.
While Fairfield University protects 150 tickets for students, it is hard to hold more since there is a chance that students won’t come. The Open VISIONS Forum is meant to serve surrounding areas as well.
The Open VISIONS Forum is not just a lecture, but an exchange of ideas among the speaker, students and community members.
Mediators try to find ways to connect students with the speaker by creating windows of opportunity where he or she can sit with the students before the event and have a classroom-like discussion.
It is also important that students be aware of the intergenerational aspect of the Open VISIONS Forum.
“It is represented through the University College as lifetime learning because the audience at these programs ranges from 18-year-olds to 88-year-olds,” said Eliasoph.
“Many of the older people [who attend] were students 30 or 40 years ago, but they have an ongoing thirst for knowledge,” he said. “That is why we have created a continuing classroom for the community. Fairfield University is like a lighthouse, putting out the beam of light and bringing in people who respect and enjoy the academic resources of Fairfield University.”
The Open VISIONS Forum is kicking off its 2007-08 season on Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. with Pulitzer-Prize-winning author David McCullough. McCullough has been called a “master of the art of narrative history” and his books have been praised for their exceptional narrative sweep, their scholarship and insight into American life, and for their literary distinction, according to a press release.
Other speakers for the semester include humanitarian and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Nicholas Kristof, co-director of Empower America and former Secretary of Education William Bennett, anchor and managing editor of CNN’s “Lou Dobbs Tonight” Lou Dobbs, and anchor and managing editor of “NBC Nightly News” Brian Williams.
Open VISION Forum
calendar for 2007-2008
David McCullough: Thurs., Oct. 18, 2007 at 8 p.m. Two-time Pulitzer prize-winning historian. Author of Truman and 1776.
Co-sponsored by the Fairfield Museum and History Center Click here to go to learn more about David McCullough
Nicholas Kristof Wed., Oct. 24, 2007 at 8 p.m.
Columnist, The New York Times
Presented through the Carl ‘ Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies and sponsored by the Frank Jacoby Foundation Read some of Kristof’s articles or check out his bio here
William Bennett Mon., Nov. 5, 2007 at 8 p.m.
Co-director of Empower America and former Secretary of Education
Co-sponsored by Somerset Capital Check out Bennett’s home page for his radio show
Lou Dobbs Wed., Nov. 7, 2007 at 8:30 p.m.
Anchor and managing editor of CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight. Author of A New America: Awakening the National Spirit
Click here for Lou Dobbs’ CNN homepage
Brian Williams Sun., Nov. 18, 2007 at 3 p.m.
MSNBC, NBC Anchor, NBC Nightly News
Read more about Brian Williams and NBC Nightly News
Joyce Carol Oates Sun., Jan. 20, 2008 at 3 p.m.
Internationally renowned best-selling author.
In collaboration with Pequot Library
find out more about Joyce Carol Oates and her writing here
Harold Ford, Jr. Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 at 8 p.m.
Former U.S. Representative, D-Tenn. Chair, National Democratic Leadership Council Political Contributor, Fox News
Co-sponsored by FUSA
visit this blog and find out more about his political views>
Gael Greene Mon., March 24, 2008 at 8 p.m.
Culinary writer, columnist of “The Insatiable Critic,” New York Magazine
Co-sponsored by Moffly Publications and Westport Magazine
Check out the insatiable Critic, by Gael Greene
Jon Meacham Mon., April 14, 2008 at 8 p.m.
Editor of Newsweek, author of American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation
read more about Meacham and check out some of his books here
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