External speakers at Lake Forest College
Lake Forest College recognizes the importance of bringing external experts to campus as a vital part of a liberal arts education. Guest speakers, whether scholars, artists, public figures, professionals, or activists, enrich the intellectual life of the campus by introducing new perspectives, sparking dialogue, and challenging students to think critically. These events foster civic engagement, cultural awareness, and interdisciplinary inquiry, helping prepare students to be thoughtful and informed participants in a diverse, global society.
In line with this mission, the College upholds freedom of expression, academic freedom, and open dialogue. These guidelines support respectful discourse and ensure speakers do not compromise campus safety or community values. Hosting a speaker does not imply College endorsement of their views.
Definition of external speaker
This policy applies to speakers giving lectures, performances, or participating in events outside of normal classroom guest appearances. While this policy does not apply to guests in academic courses, the faculty member must vet the speaker and their topic, and any concerns should be elevated to the chair of the department or Provost.
Freedom of expression
External speakers may present freely and without disruption. Audience members may dissent, but any protest must be peaceful and follow the College protest policy. Prohibited speech includes content that:
- Incites violence or hate
- Harasses, defames, invades privacy, or threatens safety
- Disrupts operations or infringes others’ rights
Political Activity
As a non‑profit 501(c)(3) institution, Lake Forest College prohibits:
- Political fundraising
- Use of College resources for campaigns
Any political speakers or activities must be cleared with administration.
Sponsorship
Only an official College department or recognized student organization may sponsor external speakers. It is the responsibility of the sponsoring department or organization to:
- Evaluate speaker background, potential controversies, and alignment with mission.
- Inform the speaker about the expectations for civil discourse and potential audience responses.
- Coordinate communications pre/post-event and manage logistics (contracts, space booking, campus safety coordination).
If there is a potential for dissent or protest, Public Safety will be asked to assess risk based on speaker history, audience size, topic sensitivity, and past incidents. Additional measures for audience and speaker safety may be enacted.
Request for external speaker
Faculty and academic departments must seek approval from the chair of the department. If the chair of the department has questions or concerns, they should elevate approval to the Office of the Provost for additional vetting and consideration.
Administrative departments must seek approval from their Vice President.
Registered student clubs and organizations must seek approval from the Gates Center for Leadership and Personal Growth.
Speaker media kit
To promote external speaker events to the Lake Forest College community and beyond, all invited speakers are asked to provide a basic media kit upon confirmation of their engagement. The media kit supports event marketing, outreach to prospective attendees, and potential media coverage.
Please submit the following materials as soon as they are available (6 to 8 weeks prior to the event is preferable):
- Professional biography (150–300 words): A brief narrative biography suitable for web and print.
- High-Resolution Headshot: Preferably in color.
- Event Title: A concise and engaging title for the talk or presentation.
- Talk Description (100–200 words): A summary of the topic and main themes; may be used for newsletters, posters, and digital listings.
- Social Media Handles: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., if applicable and the speaker is comfortable sharing. This allows us to tag and amplify promotion across platforms.
These materials will be used to promote the event across College channels, including the website, newsletters, posters, social media, and campus-wide announcements. Sharing this content also gives speakers the opportunity to reach their own professional networks and audiences.
If a speaker has press kits, video links, or prior media coverage that would support promotion, they are welcome to include those as well.
Helpful Information
- Plan far in advance!
- Check the Campus calendars to ensure the date is open and free of major scheduling conflicts.
- Reserve your preferred space. Large venues (Tarble, Chapel, McCormick) fill up quickly.
- Connect with the Office of Communications and Marketing early to ensure proper promotion internally and externally.
- If you are inviting an alumnus to your class or to speak at an event, please notify the Office of Advancement.