Former Vice President Al Gore announced as 2018 Wilson Lecture speaker
On Dec. 1, President Johnson announced in an email to the Wellesley community that former United States Vice President Al Gore will deliver the 2018 Wilson Lecture. Gore served as the 45th Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 after previously representing Tenn. in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Since leaving the White House, Gore has dedicated himself to mitigating the effects of climate change as chairman of the Climate Reality Project. He has authored numerous books and was the writer and subject of the Oscar- winning documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” and its sequel with the aim of bringing awareness of climate change to the public. In 2007, Gore was co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in recognition of his efforts. The Wilson Lecture is regarded as Wellesley’s premier academic lecture, and it is held annually as an opportunity to bring influential speakers to campus. Past speakers include vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives at Apple Inc. Lisa Perez Jackson and the founder of the Save the Children foundation, Caroline Myles. Gore’s lecture and nomination continue Wellesley’s theme of environmental responsibility as part of the Year of Sustainability, which kicked off this September. This year’s Wilson Lecture will be held on April 25, 2018. More details are expected to follow as the date nears.
Wellesley College Democrats to host gubernatorial candidate Setti Warren
On Wednesday, Dec. 6, the Wellesley College Democrats will welcome 2018 Democratic candidate for governor of Massachusetts Setti Warren to speak on campus. Warren has served as the mayor of Newton since 2010 and hopes to unseat incumbent Republican governor Charlie Baker next fall. Warren, who is a native of Newton, first ran for mayor in 2008 after serving in the Iraq War. In 2011, he pursued a short-lived campaign for one of Massachusetts’ U.S. Senate seats before dropping out and being re-elected as mayor. Wednesday’s event will take place from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Pendleton Atrium. All members of the Wellesley community are invited to attend.
Julie Jones ‘91 to be first female chairperson of Ropes and Gray LLP
On Nov. 20, prominent global law firm Ropes and Gray LLP announced that Julie Jones ’91 will be its next chairperson and the first woman to step into the role. Jones is currently a partner in the firm’s private equity practice and has served in numerous management roles since joining Ropes and Gray. Jones joined the firm in 1994, after graduating from Cornell Law School. Since then, she has established herself as a leading lawyer in areas of practice and has garnered numerous accolades for her work. As chair-elect, Jones is poised to assume the firm’s most senior leadership position in 2019 as one of a small group of women leading the world’s most eminent law firms.
