Guilford College Bryan Series

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Share the room with a thought provoker.

Ideas That Move

For more than 20 years, the Guilford College Bryan Series has brought thought-provoking speakers to our campus and the greater Greensboro community — not just thought leaders but paradigm shifters whose ideas spark the next step forward and get us all thinking and talking about exciting possibilities.

Every talk is a chance for change. What will you do with what you learn?

A First Lady, a Supreme Court Justice, an Academy Award winner, and two Pulitzer Prize winners. Each one brings an important message from their life and work. Hearing from them firsthand — with the community members who have joined you — is a powerful experience. Be our guest in 2019-20 for an outstanding season of the Bryan Series, and carry forth what you learn. After all, the positive impact shouldn’t end with the standing ovation. Let’s get our community talking and building bridges to a more promising future.

Learn more about our 2019-20 speakers.

In 2020, the Guilford College Bryan Series looks forward to welcoming you to the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, a thrilling new state-of-the-art facility opening soon in the heart of downtown Greensboro.

Subscribe for the 2019-20 Season

Because of you, we’re able to bring important leaders to our community. Your commitment as a subscriber makes it possible, and we thank you! Subscription renewals will be open beginning March 11 at this link. New subscriptions will be available beginning April 22. Single event tickets will be available in August 2019. For more information, read our Frequently Asked Questions.

Legacy Society membership for 2019-20

The Legacy Society was established in 2011 to provide dedicated benefactors with a premium Bryan Series experience. Members engage with the speakers in a VIP reception and receive special seating and parking privileges. Thank you to our 2018-19 members! Renew your Legacy Society membership beginning March 11 at this link. For information on becoming a Legacy Society member, read our Frequently Asked Questions or email thebryanseries@guilford.edu.

Don't miss our next talk!

It's amazing how far an unwavering spirit can take you.

Diana Nyad — April 11, 2019 — Greensboro Coliseum

It took five attempts and untold training for Diana Nyad to fulfill her lifelong dream of completing the 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida, but in 2013 at age 64, she realized her goal. Nyad is a living example of her own words: Never, ever give up. In her 2015 memoir, Find a Way, Nyad engages us with a unique, passionate story of this heroic adventure and the extraordinary life experiences that have served to carve her unwavering spirit.

2019-20 Season Speakers

Laura Bush

Sept. 10, 2019, Greensboro Coliseum

Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States (2001-2009), is a compelling advocate for education, health care, and women's rights. With a combination of grace and conviction, she has stood up for these issues in the face of the globe's most daunting forces, such as the Taliban and third-world poverty.

The Honorable Stephen Breyer

Oct. 2, 2019, Greensboro Coliseum

In an era of extreme political polarization, Stephen Breyer is known for being the most pragmatic Justice on the Supreme Court. A consensus seeker and an optimist, he demonstrates how both political leaders and everyday citizens can aim to reach across the aisle.

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Nov. 12, 2019, Greensboro Coliseum

Through insightful narratives of history’s most significant leaders, world-renowned presidential historian and author Doris Kearns Goodwin helps us make sense of our complex American political experience. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning work gives us a well-informed foundation for everyday political conversations, far beyond today’s headlines and social media discourse.

Sally Field

March 24, 2020, Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts

Two-time Academy Award winner Sally Field is one of our most celebrated and enduring actors who has played notable and memorable TV and film roles such as Gidget, Sybil, Norma Rae, and Mary Todd Lincoln. Her new book, In Pieces, is a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and an intimate memoir about her life and work.

Colson Whitehead

April 23, 2020, Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts

Author of six novels, including The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead is a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner and a significant voice on slavery and segregation. As our society grapples with lingering race issues, unpacking this history together is an important exercise. His work deals with the subject with the truthfulness and gravity that it deserves.

Video Archive

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