Guilford College Bryan Series

11/25/2025

Russia expert Julia Ioffe, who was on the Bryan Series stage in April 2022, spoke with NPR's Michel Martin today about what Russia is seeking from a peace deal with Ukraine. Listen (5 mins) at https://tinyurl.com/3e7w5zhe. Born in Moscow, Julia fled the Soviet Union at 7 years of age, along with her family. Twenty years later she returned to discover how much the society had changed. She writes about that in her book "Motherland: A Feminist History of Modern Russia," which was released last month.

11/13/2025

The latest documentary from renowned film maker Ken Burns -- "American Revolution" -- premieres Sunday and runs for 12 hours over six nights. Burns was popular with the Guilford College Bryan Series crowd, appearing in the fall of 2003 on campus and in the spring of 2012 at War Memorial Auditorium -- one of a few speakers appearing more than once in the series.

Burns' six-part documentary uses voiceover, reenactors and drone footage to tell the story of America's founding. And it reminds viewers that the quest for a more perfect union is far from over.

11/04/2025

Ten-plus years ago, in March 2015, the Guilford College Bryan Series presented the Booker Prize-winning Canadian author Margaret Atwood. Today, her memoir, "Book of Lives," is on sale. She states, "Every writer is at least two beings: the one who lives, and the one who writes. Though everything written must have passed through their minds, or mind, they are not the same." Enjoy the latest offering from one of our most lauded and influential cultural figures.

11/03/2025

Were you a fan of the Guilford College Bryan Series? Then you will enjoy recalling some great speakers we presented over nearly 30 years. In November 2023, we hosted Pulitzer Prize-winning photo journalist Lynsey Addario. This Thursday at 9 pm, the documentary film about her life and career, Love+War, premieres on the National Geographic Channel. It streams on Hulu after that. We were privileged to have such a hero on our stage.

Pulitzer Prize-winning Lynsey Addario has risked her life to capture the stark realities of war — from the Middle East and Afghanistan to Ukraine. From National Geographic Documentary Films and Academy Award®-winning filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin,  Love+War  chronicles Addario.....

04/09/2025

Experience moments of vulnerability, strength, and connection as Ashley Judd took the stage at the Guilford College Bryan Series at the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, engaging a packed audience with her heartfelt talk, "Mental Health & Wellness: Trauma That We Don't Transform, We Transfer." From the warm conversations at the Legacy Society dinner reception to the powerful moments shared between Ashley and moderator Julie Luck, share in the depth and intimacy of an unforgettable evening.

04/09/2025