The Clarence Glasrud Lecture and Reading Series is an annual endowed lecture in the name of Clarence “Soc” Glasrud. Established in 1991 and supported by contributions from faculty, staff and friends, the lecture features speakers who can challenge the minds of people and have the potential to improve society.
Glasrud was born in Detroit Lakes and taught at a country school before enrolling at MSU Moorhead in 1930 and graduating in 1934. After a stint in the Army Air Corps during World War II, he earned a master’s degree and a doctorate at Harvard University. He acquired the “Soc” nickname after his classmates in an ancient history course decided that he deserved the name, short for Socrates. He returned to MSU Moorhead in 1947 to teach, and served 23 years as chair of the English Department. He helped to develop a separate department of speech and theatre before retiring in 1977. In his active retirement, he traveled widely, served a term on the city council, wrote two comprehensive histories of the university and remained a thoughtful and lively presence until his last days. Urbane and filled with a thirst for knowledge and understanding, his life stands as a model for all of us at MSU Moorhead and in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
Previous Glasrud writers include:1991 – James Nagel1992 – R. W. B. Lewis 1994 – Timothy Steele1995 – Dana Gioia1996 – Dick Davis1997 – R. S. Gwynn1998 – Charles Martin1999 – Tim Murphy2000 – Michael C. White2002 – David Mason2003 – Michael Hettich2004 – Roddy Lumsden2005 – Heid, Lise, and Louise Erdrich2006 – Elizabeth Searle2007 – Richard Hoffman2008 – Annie Finch2009 – Nick Flynn2010 – David Mason
Natasha Smith talks about her experience
