Left to right: Henry David Thoreau (19th Century American naturalist, essayist, poet and philosopher), Jacob M. Appel, M.D. (bioethicist), and Amanda Little (journalist, professor and author). Appel and Little are both slated to give talks at upcoming Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program events.   

Set against the current backdrop of social activism around the nation, the first event of the fall 2020 Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program, a Central Oregon Community College (COCC) Foundation speaker series, will examine the role of early social reformers in America.

The Thursday, Oct. 15 event, at 4:30 p.m., will launch the series’ inaugural all-virtual season (offered via Zoom; $5 to register). A panel of five Massachusetts historians and activists will explore the transcendentalist movement of Henry David Thoreau and his 1840s contemporaries. The 19th century movement represented a revolution of thought — fought with words — that confronted racism and pushed for women’s rights. It still captures the hearts and minds of social reformers today.

In fact, if you take a quick glance at the list of past speakers for the Visiting Scholar Program, you might assume the series is relatively new, given the series’ resonance with the current national moment. Previous speakers include Carol Ruth Silver and Claude Albert Liggins, both 1961 Freedom Riders (2012); Kathleen Dean Moore, acclaimed environmental writer (2010); Luis J. Rodriguez, poet and urban peace activist (2006); and Maya Angelou, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and activist (2004).

Yet the COCC Foundation’s esteemed Visiting Scholar Program is in fact a longstanding institution at the college, and has been a perennial source of diverse, compelling and timely conversations for 35 years. In 1985, Robert W. Chandler Sr., former editor and owner of The Bulletin, created the program to honor his wife, Nancy, who was known for hosting salon-style gatherings.

While the many years of thought-provoking talks all share a focus on raising topical issues, they also serve to bring the community together, creating a forum for an exchange of thought and discussion. “Our programming helps foster new ideas and builds unity within our community,” said Charlotte Gilbride, who coordinates the program for the COCC Foundation. “This is especially important as our region continues to grow at a rapid pace. We seek to bring scholars and speakers, from near and far, who bring different perspectives and contribute to the diversity of our community.”

The 2020-21 year is a testament to the series’ ability to evolve and adapt. In response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, programming will be virtual through the end of this year, allowing attendees far and wide to participate.

“We’re seeing more folks from across Central Oregon register for our events,” adds Gilbride. “These are people who might not have been able to make it to hear a speaker in downtown Bend in years past, but who are excited to be able to tune in from the comfort of their own home.” Zoom makes the Visiting Scholar Program even more accessible. And thanks to ongoing community support, as well as annual sponsorships and grants, the events are always offered free to students, and at low or no cost to the community.

The second event in October has clearly struck a chord in the local community, with more than 300 registrations to date. As the global race to produce vaccines against COVID-19 intensifies, “Vaccines: History, Science, Ethics,” a free event with registration required, will explore the 18th century origins of vaccines, their impact on society and the debates that surround their development. This event will be on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 6 p.m.

Presenter Jacob M. Appel, M.D., a bioethicist, will cover many angles in this accessible and interactive presentation, including risks, efficacy and equitable access to vaccines. The director of ethics education in psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine and an emergency room psychiatrist for the Mount Sinai Health System, Appel has also authored 18 books and holds seven advanced degrees.

On Monday, Nov. 9, at 6:30 p.m., journalist Amanda Little will share insights from her award-winning book, “The Fate of Food: What We’ll Eat in a Bigger, Hotter, Smarter World,” and the realities that confront a warming and ever-populating planet. Registration for this season finale is $5.

Little will discuss climate models and crop production, and share stories from her extensive travels. A writer for The New Yorker and Rolling Stone magazine, she is also a professor of journalism and science writing at Vanderbilt University.

For registration and more details on this fall’s Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program programming, please visit cocc.edu/foundation/vsp.