Established in 1971 with the personal blessing of President Harry S. Truman, the Harry S. Truman Distinguished Lecture Series reflects his deep belief in an informed public and the responsibility of citizens to engage thoughtfully with the world around them. In granting Avila University permission to create a permanent lecture series in his name, President Truman emphasized the importance of truth, freedom of thought, and learning grounded in knowledge rather than prejudice.
Since its founding, the series has welcomed distinguished voices who bring insight into national and global issues — continuing Truman’s conviction that education and open dialogue are essential to a healthy democracy. Today, the Truman Lecture Series stands as a lasting testament to his legacy and Avila’s commitment to thoughtful inquiry, public service, and the formation of engaged citizens.
On November 18, 2026, Avila University welcomes Sam Goodwin to the stage — “Winning Through Uncertainty”.
Sam Goodwin is an inspirational keynote speaker, bestselling author and founder of SGI Ventures. He has delivered hundreds of keynotes all around the globe, from Fortune 500 companies to industry-leading organizations.
As one of the few people to have traveled to all 193 countries in the world, Sam’s global journey took an unexpected turn in 2019 when he was taken hostage and wrongfully imprisoned in Syria. His bestselling memoir, Saving Sam, recounts this harrowing experience and reveals the hard-earned wisdom he discovered through the ordeal. Today, these lessons form the foundation of SGI’s signature program, “Winning Through Uncertainty.”
A former Division I hockey player, Sam spent six years living in Singapore working for a tech startup and an NGO. He completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees before earning a doctorate in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University in Washington DC.
Away from the keynote stage, Dr. Goodwin is a private pilot, Ironman triathlete and adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Washington University in St. Louis. He and his wife, Natasha, make their home in Tampa, Florida, where Sam balances coaching leaders, logging flight hours and playing in a weekly men’s league hockey game.
A Legacy of Distinguished Voices
Over more than five decades, the Truman Lecture Series has brought to our campus some of the most compelling and consequential figures of our time — historians, activists, journalists, scientists, public servants, and survivors whose lives and work embody the spirit of informed citizenship that President Truman championed.
Past speakers have included:
- Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of Harry S. Truman; Mary Jean Eisenhower, granddaughter of Dwight D. Eisenhower; and Merrill Eisenhower, great-grandson of President Eisenhower
- David E. Bell – the inaugural lecturer and former administrative assistant to President Truman
- Margaret Mead – renowned cultural anthropologist
- Nancy Landon Kassebaum – first woman elected to the U.S. Senate in her own right
- William F. Buckley – author and commentator
- Coretta Scott King – civil rights icon
- Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ – author and tireless advocate for human dignity
- Clarence Kelly – former FBI Director
- Joseph Califano – former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare
- Louis Zamperini – World War II veteran whose extraordinary story of survival was captured in Unbroken
- Jonathon M. Katz – investigative journalist and author
- Sarah Collins Rudolph – survivor of the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham
- Reyna Grande – award-winning author
- William Kamkwamba – Malawian inventor and engineer
Each speaker has brought a unique perspective — and a shared belief in the power of knowledge, dialogue, and human dignity to shape a better world.