Manchester University offers more than a dozen presentations in its Values, Ideas and the Arts (VIA) series for Fall 2026. Presentations are at 11 a.m. on Mondays in Wine Recital Hall at the North Manchester campus unless otherwise noted. They are free and open to the public.
- Aug. 24: President Stacy Young welcomes the student population to the new school year.
- Aug. 31: Students from Professor Beate Gilliar’s courses share their experiences navigating life through trials and tribulations—discovering how to create meaning and thrive as a young college student.
- Sept. 7: Allison Ackley shares her journey from graduating from Manchester to co-owning multiple Ben and Jerry’s shops in California. Ackley speaks on challenges, successes, and lessons learned while managing everything from leadership visions to day-to-day operations.
- Sept. 14: Dr. Elizabeth Bennion, Director of American Democracy Project at IU South Bend, is joined by Democracy Fellows to discuss the role, practices, and importance of the Constitution in today’s world.
- Sept. 28: Kristie Reddick and Jessica Honaker, entomologists and educators, share their experience in facing fears, developing empathy, and social learning through the study of insects. Held in Cordier Auditorium.
- Oct. 5: A performance by the Fort Wayne Dance Collective.
- Oct. 19: Kathy Nimmer, educator and recipient of the 2026 Helen Keller Achievement Award, presents a reflective and motivating discussion of her experience with vision loss, teaching and more.
- Oct. 26: The Changing Role of the United Nations highlights the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Manchester’s participation in these endeavors.
- Nov. 2: Rachel Swank, seventh grade general music teacher and ordained minister at Elizabethtown (Pa.) Church of the Brethren, explores the legacy of Andy and Terry Murray’s rich theological and spiritual music.
- Nov. 9: Libby Kreps, 2023 MU graduate and street outreach specialist at Horizon House, shares complex issues of homelessness in Indianapolis, challenges faced by impoverished people trying to move out of poverty, and the impact of recent legislation.
- Nov. 16: Dr. Adam Mirza, assistant professor of music composition at Emory University, rethinks what music is, sharing live electronic and multimedia work that transforms and expands the capability of music.
- Nov. 23: Ursa Miles shares contemporary forms of traditional ghost stories across the world and reflects on how they relate to the fears and values of present society.
- Nov. 30: Raktim Roy, a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine, uses his personal experiences to reflect on the modern landscape of a research career, underexplored research pathways, and the expanding role of AI in science.
Manchester’s VIA programming broadens students’ cultural experiences, enriches students intellectually and aesthetically, provides opportunities to experience the arts, promotes dialogue about ideas and values, and embodies in its presentations the values expressed in the University Mission. VIA features speakers, musicians and dramatic performers from the University community, across the country and around the globe.
For the media
Manchester University, in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers vibrant and transformative student experiences. Learn more at https://www.manchester.edu/about-manchester.
Our mission and values
Manchester University respects the infinite worth of every individual and graduates persons of ability and conviction who draw upon their education and faith to lead principled, productive, and compassionate lives that improve the human condition.
