2026-2027 WCC Speaker Series
Wachholz College Center is proud to present a variety of inspiring, informative and educational speaking events throughout each season. New WCC Speaker Series events will be added throughout the '26-'27 season so please join our E-News list
to ensure you are first to know when new events are added.
WCC Speaker Series events are generously supported in part by the Broussard Family.
CHANGEMAKER SPEAKER SERIES: INDIGENOUS WISDOM FOR A THRIVING PLANET with KILIII YUYAN
Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Photographer and National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yüyan asks a vital question: what keeps the planet’s most extraordinary ecosystems thriving? From coral reefs and rainforests to the Arctic tundra, he shows how Indigenous stewardship has sustained these environments for generations.
Through encounters with polar bears alongside Iñupiat hunters, dives into mangrove shark nurseries, and time spent with elders whose knowledge spans centuries, Kiliii reveals a powerful truth: this wisdom is not a relic of the past. Drawing from Guardians of Life, he makes the case that Indigenous ecological knowledge is a living, evolving guide - offering practical solutions and a blueprint for protecting the planet’s future.
Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Photographer and National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yüyan asks a vital question: what keeps the planet’s most extraordinary ecosystems thriving? From coral reefs and rainforests to the Arctic tundra, he shows how Indigenous stewardship has sustained these environments for generations.
Through encounters with polar bears alongside Iñupiat hunters, dives into mangrove shark nurseries, and time spent with elders whose knowledge spans centuries, Kiliii reveals a powerful truth: this wisdom is not a relic of the past. Drawing from Guardians of Life, he makes the case that Indigenous ecological knowledge is a living, evolving guide - offering practical solutions and a blueprint for protecting the planet’s future.
CHANGEMAKER SPEAKER SERIES: WITNESS TO WATER with PETE McBRIDE
Tuesday, February 2, 2027 at 7:00 PM
America’s western water crisis is newsworthy on a global level, and the Colorado River - an iconic waterway and challenged resource that supplies drinking water to forty million Americans - is in the crosshairs. Acclaimed global photographer Pete McBride brings us home to his deepest passion: saving his backyard river. For two decades, McBride has documented the Colorado River, from source to sea. Through stunning imagery and stories of the people and places dependent on it for a myriad of reasons, Pete shows how the river has become a bellwether of overuse and the climate change crisis. Experience the remarkable beauty and resilience of this ephemeral source of life, something worth celebrating - and saving.
Tuesday, February 2, 2027 at 7:00 PM
America’s western water crisis is newsworthy on a global level, and the Colorado River - an iconic waterway and challenged resource that supplies drinking water to forty million Americans - is in the crosshairs. Acclaimed global photographer Pete McBride brings us home to his deepest passion: saving his backyard river. For two decades, McBride has documented the Colorado River, from source to sea. Through stunning imagery and stories of the people and places dependent on it for a myriad of reasons, Pete shows how the river has become a bellwether of overuse and the climate change crisis. Experience the remarkable beauty and resilience of this ephemeral source of life, something worth celebrating - and saving.
CHANGEMAKER SPEAKER SERIES: OCEAN SOUL with BRIAN SKERRY
Tuesday, April 13, 2027 at 7:00 PM
Brian Skerry has explored Earth’s oceans for four decades, working on every continent and in nearly every underwater ecosystem. In Ocean Soul, Brian weaves together the visual stories he has created as an award-winning photojournalist and film producer, resulting in a portrait of the ocean’s beauty and mystery; a place in trouble, but also a place of hope that can rebound with care and attention.
Blending stunning photography from dozens of feature stories for National Geographic magazine with exciting, behind-the-scenes videos showcasing how he ‘got the picture,’ Ocean Soul is a sweeping show that tells the story of our Ocean, the marine life that calls it home, and - ultimately - us.
Tuesday, April 13, 2027 at 7:00 PM
Brian Skerry has explored Earth’s oceans for four decades, working on every continent and in nearly every underwater ecosystem. In Ocean Soul, Brian weaves together the visual stories he has created as an award-winning photojournalist and film producer, resulting in a portrait of the ocean’s beauty and mystery; a place in trouble, but also a place of hope that can rebound with care and attention.
Blending stunning photography from dozens of feature stories for National Geographic magazine with exciting, behind-the-scenes videos showcasing how he ‘got the picture,’ Ocean Soul is a sweeping show that tells the story of our Ocean, the marine life that calls it home, and - ultimately - us.