About the Series
The Salem State Series was founded in 1982 under the auspices of the Salem State University Alumni Association and Foundation, Inc. as one of the first high-profile speaker series in the country. The event has hosted countless world leaders, artists, athletes, and intellectuals on its suburban North Shore campus. Thousands of patrons come to Salem State to hear what Series speakers have to say on a wide variety of subjects.
A self-supporting community enrichment program presented through the generous and dedicated support of corporate and individual sponsors alike, the Series is but one facet of the university’s progressive public education mission.
2022 Series Speaker Amal Clooney
2022 Series Speaker David Ortiz
2018/20 Series Speaker Paul Farmer, MD
Salem State Series Information
Stay tuned for upcoming engagements!
Hours: Monday–Friday, 10 am–4 pm
seriestickets@salemstate.edu
978.542.7555
Previous Series Sponsors
Platinum Sponsor
Kim Gassett-Schiller '83, '18H and Philip Schiller
Presenting Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Karen M. Morrissey '71, '93H
Salem State Alumni Association
Bronze Sponsors
Annalisa and Dino Di Palma
Hawthorne Hotel on the Commons
Benefactors
Rich Bane '12H
Cheryl Webster and Michael Crounse
Henry '60, '62G and Claire Dembowski
Merry Glosband
Andrea and Gary Gregory
John J. Walsh Insurance Agency, Inc.
Elliot '78 and Donna '78, '98G Katzman
Andrea Liftman '75G
Cynthia McGurren '83
Mike ’07 and Estrella ’07 Mitchell
Joanne ’68, ‘19H and Phil ‘19H Ricciardiello
Eugene and Kathleen Skrabut
Salem Five Charitable Foundation
St. Jean’s Credit Union Charitable Foundation
SSU Student Government Association
C. David '88 and Debbie Surface
Fall 2022
Award-winning Lawyer, Amal Clooney
Spring 2022
Iconic MLB Player, David Ortiz "Big Papi"
Spring 2020
Paul Farmer, MD, PhD, chief strategist and co-founder, Partners In Health, moderated by Mallika Marshall, MD, health reporter, WBZ-TV Boston
Fall 2019
Rebecca Eaton, Executive Producer, MASTERPIECE, moderated by Jared Bowen, WGBH
Spring 2019
Sam Kennedy, General Manager, Boston Red Sox, moderated by Steve Burton, CBS Local
2018
Paul Farmer MD, PhD moderated by David Walton, MD, MPH and Jim Ansara '10H
2017
John Legend moderated by WBZ-TVs Lisa Hughes
2016
Ed Davis and Richard DesLauries moderated by Lisa Hughes
2015
2013
Cory Booker
Tony Kushner and Robin Young
2012
Bobby Valentine and Peter Gammons
2011
Newt Gingrich
John Irving
2010
Ted Kennedy Jr.
Dr. Deepak Chopra
2009
Jay Leno
Bob and Lee Woodruff
2008
Bill Belichick
George F. Will
2007
Cal Ripken Jr.
President George H.W. Bush and Natalie Jacobson
Tom Wolfe
Maya Angelou
2005-06
Robert Redford and Joyce Kulhawik
Patrick Buchanan
Bianca Jagger
2004-05
Thomas Friedman
David Halberstam
Jack and Suzy Welch and Anne Driscoll ’76
2003-04
Goldie Hawn
Jesse Ventura
Christopher Reeve and Dr. Robin Cook
2002-03
Dr. Christiane Northrup
Jamling Norgay and Peter Hillary
Rudy Giuliani
2001-02
David McCullough
Dr. Jane Goodall
Mia Hamm and Dale Arnold
The Motley Fool
2000-01
Mark Russell
Molly Ivins
Bill Russell and Mike Lynch
President William Jefferson Clinton
1999-2000
Sebastian Junger and Linda Greenlaw
George Mitchell
Walter Cronkite and Natalie Jacobson
1998-99
Beverly Sills
George Stephanopoulos
Doug Flutie
1997-98
Benazir Bhutto
Dave Barry
Barbara Bush
1996-97
Mike Wallace
Joan Rivers
Shimon Peres
1995-96
Brian Mulroney
Ken Burns
Ann Richards
1994-95
Mary Matalin and James Carville
Colin L. Powell
Archbishop Desmond M. Tutu
1993-94
Capitol Steps
Mary Higgins Clark
President George H.W. Bush
1992-93
Mario Cuomo
Gloria Steinem
Mary Fisher
1991-92
Marvin Kalb
Judy Woodruff
Robert Fulghum
1990-91
William Bennett
Alex Haley
Ed Koch
1989-90
C. Everett Koop
Pat Schroeder
Mark Russell
1988-89
Mario Cuomo
Helen Thomas
Elie Wiesel
1987-88
Thomas “Tip” O’Neill
Lesley Stahl
Abba Eban
1986-87
Geraldine Ferraro
Ed Bradley
Helmut Schmidt
1985-86
Jeane Kirkpatrick
Sam Donaldson
Reverend Jesse Jackson
1984-85
President Jimmy Carter
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Kevin McCarthy
1983-84
Alexander Haig
Howard K. Smith
Art Buchwald
1982-83
President Gerald Ford
Douglas Kiker
Henry Kissinger
The Power of Flexible Philanthropy
Ways unrestricted funds have been mobilized for good:
- Funded 498 Student Emergency grants
- Expanded the Center of Civic Engagement's 2021 Day of Service
- Maintained technology, including Bloomberg Terminals in the Cabot Wealth Management Lab
- Funded 118 internship scholarships for students
- Funded a graduate assistant for the Inclusive Excellence Office
- Provided meal plans for participants of the Massachusetts -Student Housing Security Pilot Program
- Funded 14 scholarship and departmental awards
Finding Meaning through Civic Engagement: Lizabeth Davis ’23
“Through Salem State’s First Year Day of Service, which gives 100 first-year students the chance to spend a day giving back to the local community made possible by unrestricted funds, I volunteered at the food pantry at Citizens Inn Haven from Hunger. After this, I applied for and became a Civic Engagement Fellow through the university’s Center for Civic Engagement. A lot of the issues students face, like accessing resources and food insecurity, shouldn’t be their problems. I’ve learned from the Center how to advocate for people without speaking for them. If I see an issue on campus that other students want to solve, I can be part of the solution by amplifying their voices and helping them push it through. It’s really empowering.”
Prioritizing the Needs of Vulnerable Students: Rachel Frank ’19G, MSW
“Students aren’t going to graduate if they’re hungry and have nowhere to sleep. Thanks to the Massachusetts Student Housing Security Pilot Program and unrestricted gifts to Salem State, we’re able to provide our most vulnerable students with the basic security, dignity and autonomy they need to succeed in college. We guarantee 12 months of campus housing and cover meal plans. When these individuals can stay enrolled and ultimately graduate, upward socioeconomic mobility becomes possible for these motivated and deserving students.”
Providing Experiential Learning Opportunities: Sanjay Kudrimonti, assistant professor of accounting and finance
“Thanks to unrestricted funds, the Cabot Wealth Management Lab can continue to provide hands-on experience outside and inside the classroom, an essential tool for my students managing the Student Investment Fund. The lab provides access to the financial information via 12 Bloomberg Terminals and elevates the abilities of student asset managers to investigate and analyze the work in the process portfolio.”
Ways to Engage
Sponsor the Series
As a sponsor, you will enjoy valuable interaction with key change-makers in the greater Boston community and the world, while receiving valuable marketing benefits and exclusive access to our speakers.
Stay in the Know
Be among the first to know about upcoming Salem State Series events, speakers, exclusive ticket promotions, news, and more.