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Ronald Scott: The Legacy of Vietnam Era Student Activism

Wednesday, March 18, 2026
noon–1:30 p.m.
Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library
Ronald Scott: The Legacy of Vietnam Era Student Activism

As a Penn State student in the early 70s, Ron Scott joined protests against the Vietnam War and racial inequality on campus. In this dialogue, Scott shares his experiences as a student activist and how it shaped his perspectives on diversity and free speech on college campuses. Responding to resurfaced audio of a speech delivered after the Kent State massacre in 1970, Scott reflects on what it means to hear his younger voice fifty-five years after those events.

The conversation explores questions like:

  • What was campus culture like in the early 1970s?
  • How did student organizations like the Black Student Union change the university
  • What can today's politically engaged students learn from the student movements of the 1960s?

Ronald Scott was Vice President Emeritus and associate professor of Media, Journalism, and Film at Miami University. He joined Miami in 1988 after receiving his doctorate in communication from the University of Utah and his bachelor of arts degree in theatre arts from Penn State.

Ronald Scott sits in front of dark background wearing glasses.
Ronald Scott sits in front of dark background wearing glasses.
Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library

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