Spotlight: Speakers Bureau Program Visits Moorestown Friends School to Discuss Islam
The Speakers Bureau program provides a great opportunity for K-12 schools in the greater Philadelphia area to receive free lectures from the University of Pennsylvania’s advanced graduate students. Our speakers can cover a wide range of topics including politics, culture, religion, art, and gender issues related to the Middle East and North Africa. These sessions can be tailored to meet the needs of your classroom or organization.
This year the Speakers Bureau program will reach 15 schools and has been expanded to include diverse student populations from South Philadelphia High School, Philadelphia High School for Creative & Performing Arts, Science Leadership Academy, ASPIRA Schools of Pennsylvania, Boys Latin Middle School in West Philadelphia and Neshaminy High Schools in Langhorne, PA.
Recently, Carolyn Brunelle a CTL Fellow of the Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations department, presented multiple lectures to the Moorestown Friends School.
On Wednesday, February 3rd, Carolyn Brunelle visited Moorestown Friends School to give two presentations to students regarding the Muslim world. The first lecture was presented to more than three hundred Upper School students and faculty and covered topics on terrorism, Islamophobia, and interpretations of Islam. She also delivered personal stories about her experiences in Egypt allowing students to connect and understand more about the Muslim world. Brunelle’s second lecture entitled Islam: Unity and Diversity was presented to two hundred Middle School students and provided insight on Islamic principles, basic Arabic phrases, and a context for the images and information our students consume in the media. After each presentation, students asked great questions that allowed Brunelle to explore more ideas about the topics.
If you are a K-12 teacher and would like to book a speaker to come to your school, please email the Middle East Center at mec-info@sas.upenn.edu.