Aurora Forum History The Beginning
The Aurora Forum at Stanford University is part of a history of free public programs that goes back to the University's founding. Leland Stanford Junior University opened in October 1891, and by December of that year President David Starr Jordan—an educator who believed that "the final end of education is not learning or official position, but service to humanity"—launched a fortnightly public lecture forum intended "to share the fine specialists on this campus and their knowledge with the community."
In 1917, Stanford's third president, Ray Lyman Wilbur and his Committee on Public Exercises, turned Jordan's idea into a series of weekly lectures, recitals, concerts, and addresses "of interest and of benefit to every intelligent person" who might attend. This Tuesday Evening Series ran until 1966, when it was renamed The University Lecture Series and offered on a variable schedule. The Tuesday Night Series was revived in 1972, but failed to regain its lost momentum. When plans for the Aurora Forum began in conversations had by Mark Gonnerman and the Dean of Continuing Studies, Charles Junkerman, in the fall of 2001, this program became part of a venerable Stanford tradition.
Stanford Continuing Studies, whose mission is to bring the University's educational resources to neighboring communities for their enrichment and intellectual invigoration, served as home-base and founding sponsor of the Aurora Forum. Provost John Etchemendy and the Dean of Continuing Studies provided financial and organizational support, and Mark Gonnerman became director of the Forum in the fall of 2002.
Since the inaugural program in January 2003, the Aurora Forum has enjoyed tremendous success. This ongoing series of public conversations on the theme of "American Ideals" (2003-04) and now "Democratic Ideals" (2004- ) has featured, among others, Michael Beschloss, Gretchen Daily, Angela Davis, Larry Diamond, Paul Ehrlich, Joycelyn Elders, Arun Gandhi, Amy Goodman, Jay Harris, Julia Butterfly Hill, Clay Jenkinson (as Thomas Jefferson), Jim Kelly, David Kennedy, Michael Krasny, Dennis Kucinich, Lewis Lapham, Frances Moore Lappé, Lawrence Lessig, Jacob Needleman, Geoff Nunberg, Jack Rakove, Richard Rodriguez, Richard Rorty, Paul Saffo, Rebecca Solnit, Richard Stolley, Kathleen Sullivan, Deborah Tannen, Alice Waters, Cornel West, Mark Whitaker and Gordon Wood. In a short time, the Aurora Forum at Stanford University has established itself as a first - rate West Coast venue for substantive and engaging dialogue that inspires social hope.
Our programs regularly air on KQED Public Radio, and all conversations are available on our website as audio files and, more recently, as video files and transcripts. In launching this new website we present a new look and additional ways for visitors to explore more deeply ideas and perspectives generated by a program that typically draws above capacity crowds (600+) to Kresge Auditorium.
The Aurora Forum serves as a bridge between Stanford and a broad public eager for high quality ideas and information. We welcome your participation.
Mark Gonnerman, PhD
Aurora Forum Director
September 2005
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