Keynote address on human value
Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College will honor and celebrate Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a week-long series of short talks, films, and events starting Monday, January 16. These events will encourage students, faculty, staff, and community members to add their voices to the discussion of MLK's contributions, legacy, and the challenging work that remains for us all.
A highlight of the day will be a keynote address by Neil Phillips, Chief Diversity Officer of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), who will speak on celebrating human value: grace and renewal. Phillips is a nationally renowned speaker and entrepreneur who brings visibility to the most pressing issues of our time. A Harvard University graduate and former professional basketball player, he now creates opportunities to elevate human value in education, business, and the public/private sector.
Phillips is also an Aspen Institute Education Entrepreneurship Fellow and a member of the inaugural Echoing Green/Open Society Foundation Black Male Achievement Fellowship. He is a multiple-time winner of The Nantucket Project Audience Award for his provocative talk on race in America called “Race to Truth,” for his compelling on-stage conversation with famed television producer Norman Lear and, most recently, for his on-stage conversation with former President George W. Bush. His address at Champlain will touch on diversity, education, culture, and inclusivity. Phillips will also be leading small group sessions with faculty and students.
"At Champlain, we want to foster a welcoming, supportive, and just community,” said Alex Hernandez, President of Champlain College. “We aim to be an institution that harnesses the productive power of difference, and Neil Phillips embodies empathy and grace by meeting people where they are at in pursuit of gender and racial equality. His keynote will pay tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and address the importance of human value and belonging in our community.”
The keynote address is from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Champlain Room at the Center for Communication and Creative Media at Champlain College. This event is free and open to the public. Events are organized in partnership with faculty, Student Affairs Diversity, and other college departments. Media interested in attending should contact Anna Barbati at [email protected].
About Champlain College: Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a small, not-for-profit, private college in Burlington, Vermont, with additional campuses in Montreal, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. Champlain offers a traditional undergraduate experience from its beautiful campus overlooking Lake Champlain and a broad portfolio of online degrees and certificates through Champlain College Online. The College is known for its distinctive and innovative approach to career-focused education and its “upside-down” curriculum, which help students be: “Ready for Work. Ready for Life. Ready to Make a Difference.” Champlain ranks in multiple categories of U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Colleges,” including Best Value Schools, Best Colleges in the North, Best Colleges for Veterans, and Top Performers on Social Mobility. Champlain was also listed among The Princeton Review’s “The Best 388 Colleges” in 2023 and was recognized as a 2022 College of Distinction for its “Engagement, Teaching, Community, and Outcomes.” For more information, visit www.champlain.edu.
January 12, 2023, Burlington, VT — Champlain College