Meliora Weekend 2017 to feature Emmy, Pulitzer, and Grammy Award winners
Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA), will be the keynote speaker for the University of Rochester’s 17th Meliora Weekend, headlining a weekend that also features a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and a 22-time Grammy Award winner.
Meliora Weekend kicks off on Thursday, October 12, and continues through Sunday, October 15. Roberts will deliver her address from the Louis A. Alexander Palestra on the River Campus on Saturday, October 14.
Under Roberts’ leadership, GMA won three consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Morning Program” from 2007 to 2009 and again in 2014. She has conducted interviews with a diverse group of newsmakers, including former President Barack Obama and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, and has done extensive reporting around the globe on breaking news events such as the devastating earthquake in Haiti and the AIDS crisis in Africa. She has also won personal fights against breast cancer and the bone marrow disease myelodysplastic syndrome, which she recounts in her memoir Everybody’s Got Something (2014).
Roberts will be part of a cast of special guests who will be featured throughout Meliora Weekend.
An afternoon of perspective with Peggy Noonan
On Friday, October 13, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The Wall Street Journal and best-selling author Peggy Noonan will bring her thoughtful analysis of the nation and its leaders to the annual Presidential Symposium hosted by President Joel Seligman.
Noonan’s political experience as a member of the White House staff and a keen observer has given her humorous anecdotes and thought-provoking insight. She has authored nine books on American politics, history, and culture, and her essays have appeared in TIME, Newsweek, The Washington Post, and other publications. On April 10, 2017, she received the Pulitzer Prize for Political Commentary for her coverage of the 2016 presidential election.
Corea / Gadd Band bring jazz to Kodak Hall
With a new studio album dropping this fall, the Corea/Gadd Band will perform in concert at Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre on Friday, October 13.
Keyboardist and composer Chick Corea is a 63-time Grammy Award nominee (fourth-most of all-time) and a 22-time Grammy Award winner. He’s also earned three Latin Grammy Awards. Drummer and Rochester native Steve Gadd ʼ68E is among the most well-known and highly regarded session and studio drummers. Co-leading a band for the first time, Corea and Gadd have previously produced albums together including The Leprechaun and My Spanish Heart. Both have performed to sold-out crowds at Rochester’s International Jazz Festival in recent years.
Jeffrey Toobin serves on Miller’s Court
On Saturday, October 14, Jeffrey Toobin, staff writer for The New Yorker and senior analyst for CNN, will join noted attorney and broadcaster Arthur Miller ’56, ’08 (LLD) to discuss and interpret the law in one of Meliora Weekend’s signature events, Miller’s Court.
Previously an assistant U.S. attorney, Toobin is one of the most recognized and admired legal journalists in the country. He is a noted lecturer and best-selling author. His book The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson was the basis for the FX Network’s acclaimed 10-part limited series American Crime Story (2016).
“Meliora Weekend celebrates the best of the University of Rochester, from our ground-breaking research to our spirit of creativity and innovation,” says Paul T. Lanzone ’03, assistant vice president for alumni relations and constituent engagement. “We are pleased to offer such an impressive lineup of special guests this year. Whether you are returning to Rochester, or you call this city home, we invite you to visit our campuses, engage in intellectual conversation, and enjoy the social activity, live music, food and fun. There is literally something for everyone.”
Registering for Meliora Weekend 2017 will be easier than ever before thanks to a new and improved website. Registration and ticketing will be available in late July. For more information or to sign up for all Meliora Weekend event updates, visit www.rochester.edu/melioraweekend, email alumni@rochester.edu, or call 877.MELIORA (877.635.4672).
