The University of Central Oklahoma’s College of Liberal Arts will host its annual symposium from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Feb. 27, with opportunities to hear from both students and experts in poetry, science fiction, photography, philosophy, and more.

The symposium also allows students to get the experience of attending an academic conference without having to travel – an experience professors believe is valuable for students as they enter the job market.   

“It helps students prepare for the marketplace, gives them the opportunity to hear the ideas of scholars outside of the Central community, and helps to provoke arguments about provocative subjects,” said Mark Silcox, Ph.D., chair of the Liberal Arts Symposium Committee and assistant professor of Humanities and Philosophy at Central.

Monica Evans, Ph.D., assistant professor for the Arts and Technology program at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT-D), will present the symposium’s keynote address, "It's Dangerous to Go Alone: Why Video Games Need the Liberal Arts," from noon to 1 p.m. in the Pegasus Theater, located inside Central’s Liberal Arts building.

Evans specializes in computer game development and design, interactive narrative, serious games, and simulations.

As a faculty member at UT-D, her focus is to expand the game studies curriculum, a brand-new, continuously evolving field that few universities are pursuing significant academic research.

“I hope that participants will get an idea of how research and discussion is conducted by scholars and aspiring scholars outside of the classroom,” added Silcox.

Other highlights from the symposium include discussion panels about student loans, the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, and gun control, among others.

All activities are free and open to the public.           

For more information, contact Silcox at 405-974-5625 or msilcox@uco.edu, or visit the College of Liberal Arts website at www.uco.edu/la and click on “Symposium” on the left side of the page for a complete list of events.