Speeches

Church Historian Richard Turley Jr.: “The Power is Not in the Object, But in God”

April 24, 2023 — On April 21, the campus community gathered to hear from Church historian Richard Turley Jr., the managing director of the Public Affairs Department for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as he spoke on God’s use of physical objects to help build and focus our faith in Him.

Speeches

Glade and Kathleen Knight: The Inspired Beginning of Southern Virginia University

April 18, 2023 — On April 14, the campus community gathered to hear from University Co-founders Glade and Kathleen Knight as they shared memories of Southern Virginia University’s early days, its rapid growth, and their excitement for the future.

Speeches

Creating a Culture of Psychological Safety with Dr. Tim Clark

April 12, 2023 — On April 7, the campus community gathered for university forum to hear from organizational anthropologist Dr. Tim Clark. As founder and CEO of global consulting organization LeaderFactor and author of the best-seller, “The 4 Stages of Psychological Safety,” Clark spoke on the importance of creating psychologically safe environments and culture to allow innovation and growth to thrive.

Speeches

Organize with Your Religion and Save the World; Honors Forum with Dr. Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye

March 14, 2023 — On March 10, the campus community gathered for a forum hosted by the University’s Honors Program to hear from Dr. Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye. As an expert on Chinese history, historian for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and cancer survivor, Inouye spoke about the importance of organizing within one’s community and religion to lift one another in her address titled, “The Church as a Vehicle for Peace on and with the Earth.”

Speeches

Administrator of Seminaries and Institutes Chad Webb Testifies of Prophets in Southern Virginia University Devotional

March 8, 2023 — On March 3, the Southern Virginia University community gathered for a devotional with Chad Webb, Administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In a talk entitled, “The Voice of My Servants,” Webb spoke on the importance of prophets and the changing power of their inspired words and teachings.

Speeches

Dr. Matthew Wickman: “On Spiritual Experience and Spiritual Life (By Way of Literature)”

Feb. 28, 2023 — On Feb. 24, Dr. Matthew Wickman, an English professor at Brigham Young University, spoke to the Southern Virginia University campus community on the changing power of spiritual experiences and literature and how it inspired his recently published book, “Life to the Whole Being: The Spiritual Memoir of a Literature Professor.”

Speeches

A Life of Faith and Love with Acting President Eric and Lyn Denna

Feb. 15, 2023 — On Feb. 10, the campus community gathered for University forum in the Knight Arena to hear Acting President Eric Denna and his wife, Lyn, share their love story and how they relied on each other and the Lord throughout their lives and marriage during the ups and downs of life.

Speeches

A Knight Is Faithful, Honest, and Kind; The First University Forum of the Semester

Jan. 31, 2023 — In the first University-wide event of the Spring 2023 semester, students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Knight Arena on Jan. 27 to learn from fellow Knights about the principles of the University's Code of Conduct and what it means to be Faithful, Honest, and Kind.

Speeches

Former President Rod Smith on “James Madison: The Father of Religious Liberty”

Sept. 17, 2020 — To commemorate the United States Constitution on Constitution Day, and in memory of our beloved former University President Rodney K. Smith, we wanted to share the last speech President Smith delivered at Southern Virginia University titled after his book, “James Madison: The Father of Religious Liberty.”

Speeches

Former Olympian Richard George on Personal Integrity and Faith

Feb. 28, 2020 — Southern Virginia University Senior Advisor Richard George spoke to students, faculty and professional staff at a University-wide forum about the value of personal integrity and the relationship between honesty and faith.

Speeches

Healthy Habits and the BrightKnight Initiative

Feb. 21, 2020 — Suzanne Garcia, Director of Health and Fitness at Southern Virginia University, taught students how to develop healthy habits and introduced a new “BrightKnight” initiative to help inform healthy choices.

Speeches

Dr. Brigitte Madrian: Risks Worth Taking

Feb. 14, 2020 — Dr. Brigitte Madrian, Dean of the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University, expounded on Jesus Christ’s Parable of the Talents found in the New Testament and discussed “risks worth taking.”