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During the month of October, we celebrate the history of St. Norbert College, founded in 1898 by the Rev. Bernard Pennings, O. Praem., and today the only Norbertine institute of higher education in the world. Mark your calendars to celebrate the 128th anniversary of the founding of the College with our annual heritage month lecture!
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Paul Freedman, Ph.D., Professor of History, Emeritus, Yale University
7:00 p.m. Ft. Howard Theater, F. K. Bemis International Center, St. Norbert College
Paul Freedman is an historian of the Middle Ages at Yale University whose research has concentrated on medieval Catalonia. His work on the Norbertine Order is an outgrowth of his interest in the preservation and destruction of medieval books and documents. He is the author of The Splendor and Opulence of the Past: Studying the Middle Ages in Enlightenment Catalonia (2023).
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Dr. Andrew O'Connor, St. Norbert College
11:45 a.m. Hendrickson Dining Room, F. K. Bemis International Center
Andrew O'Connor brings a unique focus to his role as an assistant professor of theology and religious studies at St. Norbert College. O’Connor’s chief academic interest is the Qur’an and its relationship to Jewish and Christian traditions in Late Antiquity. He has led a group of students to both Rome, Italy, and Amman, Jordan, for a global seminar on interfaith relations.
Dr. O’Connor presents frequently at conferences across the United States. He has also presented at Oxford in the U.K., Tunisia, Morocco, Palestine, Jordan and Sicily. Most notably, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Amman, Jordan, for the 2017-18 academic year.
Dr. O'Connor is the Director of the Sturzl Center for Community Service and Learning and the Norman Miller Center for Peace, Justice and Public Understanding.
Check out the "Upcoming Events" slider below for more lectures and events, including the Killeen Chair Lecture Series.
Under the Division of Mission and Heritage, the Killeen Chair of Theology and Philosophy Lecture Series is another great resource that offers evening lectures each year. The series underscores the importance of theology and philosophy in a Catholic liberal arts education and highlights the commitment of St. Norbert College to provide an education that is personally, intellectually, and spiritually challenging.
Click HERE for details on upcoming Killeen Chair lectures.
Nov 10
Nov 12
Apr 6
October 15, 2025
Carol Neel, Ph.D., Professor of History, Colorado College
Dr. Neel, Norbertine Scholar, specializes in the spirituality of religious orders in the European Middle Ages with particular attention to the Premonstratensians.
Dr. Neel's lecture can be viewed HERE.
October 22, 2025
Dr. John Hennecken, Music Program Director, St. Norbert College
Award-winning composer, Dr. John Hennecken, presented a talk on his recent composition, “Cantata for the Divine Hours.” Commissioned by St. Norbert Abbey to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its abbey status, Hennecken’s Cantata was performed by members of the St. Norbert College community.
Enjoy the performance of Dr. Hennecken's "Cantata for the Divine Hours" HERE.
