Leadership

Speaker Series

Our speaker series, hosted by the Institute for Leadership & Purpose (ILP), invites parents and community members to join us in our mission to inspire tomorrow’s leaders. Throughout the year, our community will have an opportunity to hear from thought-provoking authors, educational experts, and Calvert School leaders.

The speakers series builds bridges, elevates our community, and reinforces that we are raising our children and our leaders together.

Upcoming Speakers

- José B. González
  
  The 2023 John "Luke" Stone '86 Leadership Speaker

José B. González was born in El Salvador and came to the U.S. at the age of eight. He once knew no English and now is a professor of English with a PhD in English. He is the author of the poetry collections, Toys Made of Rock and When Love Was Reels and the co-editor of Latino Boom: An Anthology of US Latino Literature. He has been anthologized in the Norton Introduction to Literature and has presented extensively throughout the US including at Harvard and Yale.

He has been featured in Univision, NPR, and CBS News Radio, and an excerpt of his poetry is part of the first ever Latino exhibit at the National Museum of American History in DC. A Fulbright Scholar, he is the founder and editor of LatinoStories.com.

Recent Speakers

- Rosalind Wiseman
  
  2022 Leadership Speaker

Rosalind Wiseman Talks "Cultures of Dignity" at Calvert

Educator and public speaker Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees and Wannabees and Masterminds and Wingmen, spoke about the importance of strong leadership and emotional intelligence with the Calvert community on Thursday, April 7, during three sessions focused on the school experiences of children ages 10 to 15 years old. Wiseman, co-founder of Cultures of Dignity, is a multiple New York Times-bestselling author and educational thought leader. Her book, Queen Bees and Wannabees, was the basis for the 2004 film Mean Girls adapted by Tina Fey.

Prior to Thursday’s sessions, Wiseman met with a group of Middle School students to learn about their experiences with leadership, the conflicts that come with responsibility, and day-to-day life at Calvert. In all of her work with students, Wiseman said, this kind of one-on-one interaction is crucial for identifying key discussion topics, learning more about a school environment, and helping students feel heard.

After meeting with students virtually, Wiseman appeared on campus to host an afternoon workshop with all faculty and returned for a lunchtime workshop with boys and girls in the Middle School.

- André Robert Lee
  
  2021 Leadership Speaker

André Robert Lee's Visit to Calvert School

In April 2021, filmmaker and activist André Robert Lee, creator of The Prep School Negro, visited Calvert School virtually for a full day of discussion about race and equity centered on his latest documentary, The Road to Justice. Throughout the day, Lee engaged with students in Tenth Age through Eighth Grade during virtual workshops that encouraged the students to speak up when they see or experience inequity.

Lee, who teaches filmmaking at Germantown Friends School, has committed his life to “building an army of change agents.” He says that the best way to dismantle systemic inequity and racial bias is to be vulnerable and honest when discussing tough topics.

His films, including The Prep School Negro, Virtually Free, and The Road to Justice, are designed to reveal new perspectives and prompt meaningful conversation.

“If we sit back and just watch inequities, we are being a silent witness, the theme of the day,” Lee explained to students. “But until we do something – until we say something – it will stay exactly the same.”

Lee also delivered they keynote address for the Middle School Student Leadership in Diversity Conference (MSSLDC) that saw more than 240 students from independent schools gather virtually on April 24.