Columbia University scholar to deliver March 17 leadership colloquium at Louisiana Tech
Roosevelt Montás
Louisiana Tech University will host Human, Humanism, Humanities: Refections on an Education for Freedom – a lecture by Roosevelt Montás – at 4 p.m. March 17 in Wyly Auditorium as the University’s next Presidential Leadership Colloquium.
Montás, who currently serves as Columbia University’s Senior Lecturer in American Studies and English, will discuss the significance of a liberal arts education and its profound role in his life as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic to the United States.
Dr. Jeremy Mhire, Director of the Waggonner Center for Civic Engagement and Public Policy and Associate Professor of Political Science at Louisiana Tech, said Montás’ work has sparked meaningful discussion on the unwavering significance of the humanities and their particular relevance to students from marginalized communities.
“Professor Montás’s recent book Rescuing Socrates is at the forefront of the national conversation about the future of higher education,” said Mhire. “In this lecture, Montás will speak of the transformational effects the liberal arts had on him as a young immigrant to the United States in the early 1990s, and why those experiences are more vital than ever for future generations of Americans.”
Rescuing Socrates is Montás’ own testament to the significance of a liberal education. The book cites the works of Plato, Augustine, Freud, and Gandhi, synthesizing memoir and literary analysis in defense of the education often criticized by modern academics and seen as a force of exclusion for underprivileged students.
“Louisiana Tech is truly fortunate to sponsor this event,” Mhire said. “This lecture will appeal to anyone interested in substantive questions about education.”
Montás serves as Director of the Center for American Studies’ Freedom and Citizenship Program, a program designed to introduce high school students to college-level work in the humanities and prepare them for lives as informed, responsible citizens.
Montás’ book is available at a 30 percent discount through the Princeton University Press. Use the code RMPUP on checkout at press. princeton.edu.
