The Six O’Clock Series provides IUP students, employees, and community members an opportunity to learn about current issues and approach familiar topics from a new perspective.

Programs occur on Monday evenings at 6:00 p.m. in the Elkin Hall Great Room. Programs end at 7:30 p.m. All of the programs will also be available to view live via Zoom. A listing of Six O’Clock Series events is also available as a poster (PDF file).

All lectures are free and available to the public as well as the campus community. The lectures are targeted to an audience of college students and employees so all topics may not be appropriate for children.

Active Shooter Training

  • February 5: Sponsored by the Student Government Association and University Police, this training provides comprehensive solutions for active shooter preparedness and other safety and emergency measures.

Escalation

  • February 12: Escalation is a compelling film that tells the story of an abusive relationship—from its sweet beginnings to the tragic end. The authentic depiction of unhealthy behaviors escalating into violence helps you recognize and understand the early signs of relationship abuse. You can take away information on how to have a healthy relationship and how to get out of an unhealthy relationship safely. This OneLove Foundation workshop is facilitated by the IUP Haven Project.

Untold Stories in Pennsylvania State Parks: Finding Diverse Pasts All Around Us

  • February 19: Since the early 1800s, the Laurel Hill Settlement in Laurel Ridge State Park near Johnstown was home to an integrated community of Black, White, and Indigenous people. Today, the settlement cemetery is the most visible landmark, but a closer look reveals roads, foundations, and other evidence of 15 decades of life. The settlement has a lot to tell us about how this unique community adapted to life in America during a period of significant economic and social change. An interdisciplinary team of IUP students and faculty recently studied the settlement’s history and what it means to living communities, as well as how the site can be better used to educate people about the region’s diverse history.

Black History Month, Socially Conscious Rap: Raising Awareness of the Black Plight through Music

  • February 26: As celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of hip-hop come to an end, it is important to continue reflecting on the impact of the genre. Join media professor Jeremy McCool D’21 as he discusses how socially conscious rap music has worked to illuminate world issues that have impacted Black Americans from the 1980s to now.

Student Green Dot Training

  • March 4: At IUP, we use the Green Dot Bystander Intervention Program to learn how to help one another. This training program focuses on how we can all do something to reduce the likelihood of sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking. Attendees can use these simple skills to make a lasting impact on our campus and in the lives of others.

Sandglass Theater—Translating Memoir into Performance

  • March 18: This workshop explores the potential of puppets to share our stories and to give these stories a voice. The process examines song, movement, and the actor/puppet relationship to explore what makes the puppet a special medium for evoking testimony. This workshop may be longer than typical programs. You are invited to attend and leave as needed.

Don’t Trip! Learning How to Lead without a Title with the CPDC

  • March 25: Leadership is more than just a noun; it is an action verb. Many people mistakenly believe leadership is tied to a position of authority. However, true leaders recognize that leadership begins long before they are given a job or win an election. In this discussion, participants will explore various leadership styles, reflect on the traits that influence how leaders are perceived, and share their experiences working with both effective and ineffective leaders. This discussion will be helpful for students who want to become more effective at leading themselves and their peers. Formal leadership positions (i.e., IUP Ambassador, Crimson Guide, resident assistant, Supplemental Instruction leader, Student Government Association member, or member of another student organization) are not required. All students are welcome.

Philadelphia Eleven

  • April 1: Freedom of speech is not only an important individual right, it’s essential to a healthy democracy and absolutely vital to the core mission of the university. As a public university, IUP is committed to the ideals of free speech protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

    When everyone has freedom of speech, it means that we may be exposed to mean, hurtful, or even offensive comments. It may seem odd or unfair that the First Amendment protects offensive speech, but freedom of speech is a two-way street. If my right to express my ideas is protected, it means that others who vehemently disagree with me can also express their ideas.

Freedom of Speech

  • April 8: Join us as we honor those who have served and are currently serving our nation in the military. Current IUP members who are serving and have served will discuss their careers in the armed forces and how they relate to their experiences at IUP.

Expand Your Breadth of Vision and Critical Thinking through Liberal Studies at IUP

  • April 15: The Liberal Studies curriculum consists of a broad exploration of courses that are required for all undergraduate students. Part of any educational system is to provide opportunities for students to gain breadth and depth. A breadth of knowledge and skills are achieved through the Liberal Studies program. Depth of knowledge is attained through specialization in a particular major. Well-educated people have a breadth of vision and understanding which enables them to enjoy full, rich, integrated lives. Join us to discuss how the Liberal Studies curriculum can work best for you.

Into the Archives; Between the Lines—Poems, Poets, and Muses

  • April 22: What is your favorite poem, poet, or muse? In the 11th “Into the Archives” event, learn more about classic and modern poetry at IUP. Presenters will discuss specific titles, including works of poetry in the IUP Department of English’s Poetry Collection and in the IUP Special Collections and University Archives. The first edition of “The Raven,” by Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), and the first English printing of Dante’s Inferno, illustrated by poet and engraver William Blake (1757–1827), will make special appearances. The presentation will feature many poets and poems brought to you through a collaboration with the IUP Special Collections and University Archives (IUP Libraries) and the IUP Department of English.