Presidents' College
About Us
The Fellow membership fee has been eliminated as of July 1, 2019. Donations to the Presidents' College will now be 100% tax deductible. Stay Informed.
The Presidents' College is an informal community of people—living in the greater Hartford area—who come together for brief courses and stand-alone lectures on almost every imaginable topic, including history, literature, science, current events, the fine and performing arts, and much more. Many of our instructors are drawn from the University faculty, but we also engage distinguished figures from the wider world.
Anyone can become a part of our community by simply registering for one or more of our events.
As you will see, the cost of our offerings is remarkably low. Nevertheless, the College generates a modest surplus each year that directly benefits the University’s library system. Over the past decade, that surplus has returned more than $250,000 to library operations, which has been directly used to purchase books, musical scores, scholarly periodicals, computer equipment, and all the things that a modern university library requires in order to serve the needs of its students.
So there is a pleasing symmetry to the program: Presidents’ College members enjoy intellectual stimulation and engagement, while simultaneously contributing to the education of the next generation of informed citizens.
Please consider becoming part of our vibrant, friendly community. I look forward to personally greeting you at one of our upcoming events.
Randi Ashton-Pritting
Interim Director, Presidents' College
Catherine Banbury, VolunteerWhether you want to deepen your knowledge of a few beloved subjects or seek a new intellectual journey, the Presidents’ College is intellectually stimulating, enlightening, fun, and collegial."
Upcoming Events
Courses and Lectures
The Spring 2019 semester has come to a quick end and we are all looking forward to the official announcement of the courses and lectures for fall 2019. There will be offerings on memory and personal identity, civic engagement, popular music history, dialogue, U.S. Presidents and their health records, U.S. Supreme Court, art and architecture, just to name a few.
We will have professors teaching for the first time for the Presidents’ College along with the tried and true. And there will be some surprises! Hopefully, your interest has been piqued!
As we finalize the fall semester schedule, you will have to wait until August to be able to register.
Duncaster Lectures
As part of the University’s continuing cooperation with the Duncaster Retirement Community in Bloomfield, monthly lectures are offered on the Duncaster campus, 40 Loeffler Road in Bloomfield. Each lecture begins at 4:45 p.m.
Fall 2019 Duncaster lectures will be posted on or about August 1.
Directions to Duncaster lectures.
Library Lectures
The Library Lectures are sponsored by the Fellows of the Presidents' College as a service to the campus and community.
Fall 2019 Library lectures will be posted on or about August 1.
Directions to Library Lectures in the KF Room, Harrison Libraries.
McAuley Lectures
The McAuley lectures feature outstanding faculty members from the University of Hartford. The lectures take place once a month at 2 p.m. at McAuley Retirement Community, Asylum Avenue and Steele Road, West Hartford. Visitors should take the Steele Road entrance and park in visitors parking. The lectures are held in the main building, at the foot of the hill.
Fall 2019 McAuley lectures will be posted on or about August 1.
Directions to McAuley lectures.