Threshold Series
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In This Section
A platform for intellectual and cultural engagement, the Saint Vincent College Threshold Series has brought a diverse array of distinguished speakers—scholars, experts, authors, artists and public figures—to the Latrobe campus.
Community & Events
Established in 1981 through a generous grant from the Kennametal Foundation, Threshold aims to inspire intellectual curiosity, foster meaningful dialogue and enrich the region’s cultural landscape. By deepening their understanding of the subject matter, attendees can connect theoretical concepts to real-world applications and seek additional knowledge beyond the lecture.
Threshold has become an important institution at Saint Vincent for students, faculty and members of the local community.
“I'm here to follow the first word of the Rule of Benedict that goes back almost 1,500 years, which is: listen.”
– Cornel West, October 2019 Threshold Series speaker
Save the Date: Gene Steratore
August 6, 2025
Admission is free of charge.
April 2025 Speaker
The Saint Vincent College Threshold Series will return April 15 with a lecture by Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz, a Latrobe native and president of Michigan State University. A nationally recognized neuroscientist and researcher, Guskiewicz has made significant contributions in the study of concussion prevention and has served as an advisor to the NFL and NCAA. His expertise as a leader and innovator will set a compelling tone for this year’s Threshold Series.
Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz
Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz, a neuroscientist, academic leader and concussion researcher, was appointed president-elect of Michigan State University on Dec. 8, 2023, by the MSU Board of Trustees and started as president on March 4, 2024.
Guskiewicz will speak on, “The Art and Science of Academic Leadership: Navigating the Complexities of an Ever-Changing Landscape in Higher Education.” He plans to focus on how he applied lessons learned as a sports concussion researcher when tackling challenging issues as an academic leader.
Guskiewicz was chancellor of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill from 2019 to 2023. He was founding director of the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center and the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes. A nationally recognized expert on sport-related concussions, Guskiewicz maintains an active research portfolio by serving as co-principal investigator on two multi-center research grants. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers in the areas of sports medicine and neuroscience.
His team’s groundbreaking work has garnered numerous awards and has influenced concussion guidelines in the pro and college football. In 2011, Guskiewicz received the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship for his innovative work on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sport-related concussions. In 2011, he convinced the NFL and NCAA to change their kickoff rules, which resulted in a 50% reduction in concussions on kickoffs. In 2013, Time magazine named Guskiewicz a “game changer,” one of 18 innovators who inspired change in America.
Born and raised in Latrobe, Guskiewicz earned a bachelor’s degree in athletic training from West Chester University, a master’s in exercise physiology/athletic training from the University of Pittsburgh and a doctorate in sports medicine from the University of Virginia. He and his wife Amy have four children: Jacob, Nathan, Adam and Tessa.
Past Speakers
Pictured: (header) David Shedloski, (from top left) Stanley Jaki, Robert Jarvik, John Stacks, Joyce Carol Oates, John Noble Wilford, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Alex Haley, Michael Medved, (second row) Strobe Talbot, Isaac Asimov, Harold S. Kushner, Jane Bryant Quinn, Roger Malina, Carl Sagan, Robert Claiborne, Martin E. Marty, Lt. General James A. Abrahamson. Not Pictured: Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J., Claire Bloom, Stephen F. Cohen, Ralph Nader, Archduke Rudolph of Austria, Roger Cossack, Heinz-Joachim Fischer, Jerome Oetgen, Benjamin Zander, Colleen Carroll Campbell, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Steven Johnson.