FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | Sept. 26, 2016 The 2016-17 “Common Hour” lecture series at Wilson College, which will be held at noon Tuesdays at campus locations, will focus on “Bridging the Gaps: Conversations about Inequality.” Speakers for the weekly discussions, which are free and open to the public, will “explore the realities of inequality, as well as creative and determined efforts to bridge the gaps,” said organizer David True, associate professor of religion. Wilson’s Common Hour series is “designed to foster conversation across the campus and the community about pressing problems, big ideas and complex questions,” True said. The first sessions include: Sept. 27, Brooks Science Center Auditorium — Amanda McMenamin, Wilson assistant professor of Spanish, will discuss “Panoptic Spies and Neoliberal Lies: The Captivity of the Prison, the Home and the Bolivian Mine in Domitila Barrios de Chungara’s Testimonial, Let Me Speak.” The talk will center on the inequalities faced by activist Domitila Barrios and the plight of the Bolivian mining community. Oct. 4, John Stewart Memorial Library Learning Commons — Jerome E. Copulsky will talk about the topic, “Job at Jessup: What I Learned Teaching the Bible Behind Bars.” Copulsky, who has served as director of Judaic studies and assistant professor of philosophy and religion at Goucher College in Baltimore, will recount his experiences teaching the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament with the Goucher Prison Education Partnership at the Maryland Correctional Institution at Jessup. Oct. 18, John Stewart Memorial Library Learning Commons — Jonathan Raber and Christy Unger will discuss “Our Community, Our Children: The Impact of Poverty.” This interactive talk is designed to help participants understand the barriers and challenges that many people in the Chambersburg area face as they struggle through poverty. Raber is a community organizer who works for the South Central Community Action Programs and Unger is the prevention coordinator at Healthy Communities Partnership and the Student Assistance Program liaison supervisor for Franklin and Fulton counties. Oct. 25, John Stewart Memorial Library Learning Commons — Polly Lamison and Paul Mancia will discuss “Trauma Related Care in Education.” Educating people who have undergone trauma, which is a public health issue, requires an understanding of how trauma affects brain development. Mancia is program director for Laurel Life, which provides behavioral health services throughout central Pennsylvania, and Lamison is director of special education for the Eastern York School District. Nov. 1, John Stewart Memorial Library Learning Commons — Carolyn Hart, chair of the division of nursing and health services at Wilson, will talk about “Health Inequalities and the Social Determinants of Health.” Despite an increasing life expectancy over the past century, there is a widening gap in health outcomes among different populations within both the United States and the world. Hart’s talk will focus on those inequalities. Information about future Common Hour discussions will be posted at www.wilson.edu/common-hour as it becomes available. MEDIA CONTACT: David True, Associate Professor of Religion Phone: 717-264-4141, Ext. 3396 Email: david.true@wilson.edu __________________________________ Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 34 majors and master’s degrees in education, the humanities, accountancy, management, nursing, fine arts and healthcare management for sustainability. Wilson is committed to providing an affordable education that offers value to its students beyond graduation. Located in Chambersburg, Pa., the college has a fall 2016 enrollment of 1,098, which includes students from 18 states and 16 countries. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information. Contact Wilson College Office of Marketing and Communications 1015 Philadelphia Avenue Chambersburg, Pa. 17201