Guilford College Bryan Series

Legacy Society and Corporate Sponsorships

2023-24 Season: Heroes in Our Midst

There are heroes all around us, some more apparent than others. They may save lives or simply help make people's lives better. They may work to protect our freedoms, shine a light on ways we can do better, or lead us to explore new horizons. The Guilford College Bryan Series will present five heroes in the 2023-24 season, some of whom are well-known and others we will discover together, but all of whom have inspiring stories to share. Join us as we celebrate a year of "Heroes in Our Midst."

Read our 2023-24 season FAQ.

Season Schedule

Sully Sullenberger, heroic pilot — Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023
Walter Parkes, innovative movie maker — Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023
Lynsey Addario, Pulitzer winning photographer — Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023
Charles Bolden, Shuttle commander and NASA administrator — Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024
Judy Woodruff, trailblazing news anchor — Tuesday, April 9, 2024

All events at 7:30 p.m. at the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Greensboro.

Speakers, dates, and times subject to change.

Season Subscriptions: New subscriptions are now on sale. A subscription for the Guilford College Bryan Series is a reserved seat for all five events and is available in the Orchestra, Grand Tier, or Loge sections. Subscribers have seating priority with the opportunity in future seasons to renew and upgrade their seats before new subscription sales.
Legacy Society Memberships: New memberships are now on sale. A membership includes premium seating and parking and access to pre-event receptions and photo lines (if offered) with speakers. A portion of the membership payment is a tax-deductible gift to Guilford College.
Subscription and Legacy Society Membership Renewals: The renewal period for 2022-23 subscribers and members concluded May 5. If you have questions, please email thebryanseries@guilford.edu.
Single-Event Tickets: Single-event tickets available for the 2023-24 season will be on sale in late August.
Guilford faculty, staff, students, and retirees ticket pickup: Current and retired faculty and staff and current students are eligible for free admission to all Bryan Series events. Information about access is delivered in email notifications before each event.
COVID Protocol: COVID-19 is still a relevant virus in the United States. Masks are not required at the Bryan Series events, however, we ask everyone to be respectful to the persons who choose to wear one.

Sully Sullenberger

Sept. 14, 2023

208 Seconds: A Lifetime of Lessons

Sully is the retired American fighter pilot, diplomat, and airline pilot best known for his heroism as captain of US Airways Flight 1549 that he ditched in the Hudson River in 2009 after both engines were disabled by a bird strike. All 155 people aboard survived. He was the subject of "Sully," a 2016 feature film starring Tom Hanks in the title role. Recently, the Aviation Museum in Charlotte was named for him.

Sully Sullenberger at the Bryan Series Sept. 14, 2023

Walter Parkes

Oct. 12, 2023

From Entertainment to Engagement: How Storytelling and Technology Can Educate the World

Walter is a screenwriter and producer of more than 50 films. He was President of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment and, later, head of Dreamworks motion picture division, overseeing film projects including three consecutive Best Picture Oscar winners. He is now developing virtual reality educational experiences with Dreamscape Immersive, his entertainment and technology company.

Walter Parkes at the Bryan Series Oct. 12, 2023

Lynsey Addario

Nov. 9, 2023

"It's What I Do", Based on her Bestselling Book of the Same Name

Lynsey is an American photojournalist who has been covering conflict, humanitarian crises, and women's issues in the Middle East and Africa on assignment for The New York Times and National Geographic for more than two decades. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the Pulitzer Prize and the MacArthur Fellowship. Hollywood has acquired the rights to make a film out of her life story.

Lynsey Addario at the Bryan Series Nov. 9, 2023

Charles Bolden

Feb. 8, 2024

Dreaming Big: The Past, Present, and Future of Human Space Exploration

Charles served as the 12th NASA Administrator (2009-17) and was the first African American and only the second former astronaut to hold the position. As NASA Administrator he oversaw the transition from 30 years of Space Shuttle missions to a new era of exploration focused on full utilization of the International Space Station, among other accomplishments. He was commander of the Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1992 and Space Shuttle Discovery in 1994 and flew two other missions as a pilot.

Charles Bolden at the Bryan Series Feb 8, 2024

Judy Woodruff

April 9, 2024

Decision 2024: America at a Crossroads

Judy is a trailblazing broadcast journalist who has worked in network, cable, and public television news for nearly 50 years. She was the anchor and managing editor of the "PBS Newshour" through the end of 2022, and for a period was co-anchor with former Bryan Series speaker Gwen Ifill. The Duke grad has covered every presidential election and convention since 1976 and moderated U.S. presidential debates.

Jusy Woodruff at the Bryan Series April 9, 2024

Thought-Provokers and Bridge-Builders

For more than 20 years, Bryan Series innovators and visionaries have helped us chart new courses for our communities and ourselves. Together, we can create real change.

Guilford College welcomed basketball icon Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was the second speaker for this season’s Bryan Series on Oct. 23.

Video Archive

Take a look at some of our past speakers, which include Ken Burns, Toni Morrison, Yo-Yo Ma, and many more.

Watch: The Bryan Series Tradition