Powell Guest Events

Powell Guest Events

The Powell Scholars have invited numerous guests to Pacific to learn about their accomplishments. In many cases, the Powell Scholars hosted an event involving the guest that benefited the campus community.

2018 - Al Bowers

In October of 2018, the Powell Scholars hosted Al Bowers, Chief Scientist at NASA's Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) in Edwards, California. Bowers is part of a strategic planning team that develops concepts for the future of aerospace and auronautics. He is responsible for defining NASA Armstrong's strategic direction, including advanced aeronautical designs, science, research, and space technologies. He has held several other director and chief positions at the AFRC prior to assuming his role as Chief Scientist.

During his visit, Bowers gave two talks, both of which were open to the public. The first talk, titled "Why Birds Don't Have Vertical Tails - PRANDTL Wing," examined the design of NASA's PRANDTL flying wing (pictured to the right). The second talk, titled "To Jupiter and Beyond: Aero Gravity Assist," discussed how humans can get to Jupiter using propulsion from the gravity of other planets. In between the talks, the Powell Scholars Program hosted a reception in Callison Hall that gave Scholars the opportunity to speak with Bowers.

2016 - Vijay Gupta

Vijay (Robert) Gupta is a violinist, speaker, and advocate for the participation of citizen-artists in civil and social discourse. At the age of 19 he became the youngest violinist to join the LA Philharmonic. At age 11 he made his solo debut with the Israeli Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta. Gupta earned an undergraduate degree in pre-med biology from Marist College when he was 17 and a master’s degree from the Yale School of Music when he was 19. In 2011 he co-founded and continues to direct the Street Symphony, which brings renowned musicians to marginalized communities experiencing homelessness and incarceration.

In early November of 2016, the Powell Scholars hosted Gupta to speak about the connection between medicine and music in Faye Spanos Hall. He discussed the redemptive power he has found in music, and he used his experience to illustrate how music can help bring people back from the brink of their darkest times, how it speaks to people in ways language cannot, and why music education is vitally important, especially to those who are most in need. Music can indeed change lives.

2016 - Gil Dellinger

In April of 2016, the Powell Scholars hosted Professor Emeritus Gil Dellinger for a lunch in Callison Hall. Two professors of the Department of Art and Graphic Design, Drs. Lucinda and Daniel Kasser, were also invited. Dellinger discussed his life, artwork, time at Pacific, and dog Buster with the students.

Gill Dellinger is a fine artist most known for his seascape paintings. He is adept in three different mediums: acrylics, oils, and pastels. Over the years, his art has been part of numerous private, corporate, and museum collections as both solo and group exhibitions. As a professor at Pacific, he received the Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence and Professional Contribution during his over 30 year tenure.

2013 - Wynton Marsalis

By partnering with the Brubeck Institute, the Powell Scholars Program was able to host jazz great Wynton Marsalis at Pacific. The Powell Scholars hosted a Q&A with Marsalis, who then performed with his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to close out the annual Brubeck Festival.

Wynton Marsalis is a nine-time Grammy winning musician who promotes classical and jazz music to young audiences worldwide. He wrote the first jazz composition to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, and he performed the national anthem for Super Bowl XX. Marsalis has also been Artistic and Music Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center since its opening in 2004.

2012 - Molly Donovan

Molly Donovan, associate curator of the National Gallery of Art and co-author of “The Andy Goldsworthy Project,” visited in early April of 2012 to give a presentation about the work of Goldsworthy.

Andy Goldsworthy has been an active artist since the 1970s, and has since become well-known and well-respected for his work. Both his permanent installations and ephemeral pieces draw on the characteristics of their location. Much of this process revolves around the artist's use of natural material he finds on site, such as leaves, ice, and stone. Most of his work requires photography to preserve it.

2012 - Jonathan Matas

During a luncheon in late March of 2012, Jonathan Matas, brother of Powell Alumnus Samuel Costigan, came to Pacific to paint four pieces of artwork for Callison Hall.

Jonathan Matas began creating street art at the age of 15 in Seattle. Being primarily a painter, most of his work is done on commissioned walls. He is perhaps most well known for his work as an artist-in-residence at Facebook, where he painted Mark Zuckerberg's laptop and conference room wall. More of his work can be seen all across the Facebook campus.

2010 - Stephen Joseph

In 2010, the Powell Scholars hosted an event to celebrate President Pamela Eibeck's Inauguration. The final proposal was to dedicate a large photo mural of Muir Woods by artist Stephen Joseph in President Eibeck's honor. A small reception was held in the university library, where the photo is on display.

Stephen Joseph is a fine arts photographer who has been involved in photography for over 50 years. His past works include Mount Diablo, Yosemite, Muir Woods, Sonoma County, Vasco Caves, native California plants, and behind the scenes of Broadway. He has published many art books and has photographs on display throughout the Bay Area.