On Friday, November 18, 2022, the Pi Gamma Mu Speaker Series officially launched and highlighted the expertise of Pi Gamma Mu president, Dr. Susan Kinsella. Kinsella's lecture focused on Animal Assisted Interventions. Throughout the 2022-23 academic year, four Pi Gamma Mu faculty will showcase their expertise as they discuss new and important themes in the social sciences.

Winfield, KS -- (ReleaseWire) -- 11/23/2022 --Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in Social Sciences is pleased to present a new online Speaker Series. The series is open to both members of Pi Gamma Mu and to non-members interested in learning more about the topics being presented. Beginning in the fall of 2022, the Series is offered via Zoom and spotlights the research interests and expertise of Pi Gamma Mu's chapter faculty sponsors. Throughout the 2022-2023 academic year, four Pi Gamma Mu faculty sponsors will showcase their expertise as they discuss new and important themes in the social sciences.

On Friday, November 18, 2022, the Pi Gamma Mu Speaker Series officially launched via Zoom. The event highlighted the expertise of Pi Gamma Mu president, Dr. Susan Kinsella, social work scholar and former dean of the College of Education and Social Services at Saint Leo University. Currently a professor in the online graduate Human Services Administration Program, Dr. Kinsella's lecture focused on "Animal Assisted Interventions". Topics included details about how specially trained animals and trainers can help people and communities, how animals impact human lives, a new bachelor's degree program and certificate programs at Saint Leo University, a new online book, and what we understand about this growing field of study and practice. Dr. Kinsella was joined by Dr. Nancy Wood and Dr. Rhondda Waddell, experts in the field and professors at Saint Leo University. Dr. Suzanne Rupp, executive director of Pi Gamma Mu, also spoke during the inaugural event and provided a review of the history of Pi Gamma Mu and the benefits of membership. The lecture was followed by a live question and answer session.

Pi Gamma Mu members, chapter faculty sponsors, and other interested individuals attended the live Zoom event which was recorded and made available to all members of Pi Gamma Mu and the public via Pi Gamma Mu's YouTube Channel. The recording is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_vnRXnKRbU&t=54s

The next speaker in the Series is Dr. Joshua Weikert, associate professor and department chair of the Department of Civic Engagement at Immaculata University in Pennsylvania. Weikert will speak about "Legislative Politics and Leadership" based on his work with the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate. Topics will include the structure of legislatures and how they function in practice, the challenges of legislating in politically contentious bodies with multiple veto actors, and how policy ideas develop as they work through the adoption/legitimation process. The lecture will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. (ET). Weikert is the chapter faculty sponsor of the Pennsylvania Alpha Rho Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu at Immaculata University.

The third event in the Series will feature Dr. Laura Rodriguez-Kitkowski of South University in Georgia on Friday, April 28, 2023, at 3 p.m. (ET). Rodriguez-Kitkowski is the chapter faculty sponsor of the Georgia Sigma Chapter of Pi Gamma Mu at South University.

Details and links to the online Zoom sessions will be available at https://pigammamu.org/speaker-series.html