ABOUT THE MARKOVITZ SOCRATIC STAGE DIALOGUE SERIES

The New College of Florida Office of Public Policy Events seeks to advance free speech, civil discourse, and fearless dialogue through facilitating events that foster open discussion and debate on relevant public policy issues. Such debates or group forums provide opportunity for a wide range of viewpoints and perspectives to be presented. These events are open to the public and include speakers from within and without the state university community that hold broadly divergent and opposing perspectives.

For questions about The Socratic Stage events, please contact:

Director of Public Policy Events [email protected]

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Upcoming Events

Character, Competition, and Culture

Urban Meyer and Chris Myers

March 10th | 6:30 PM | Mildred Sainer Pavilion – New College of Florida

Join us on March 10th at New College of Florida’s Sainer Pavilion, legendary coach Urban Meyer joins the Socratic Stage to discuss leadership, sports, and the university system. Now a member of New College’s Board of Trustees, Meyer will reflect on building high-performance teams, developing talent, and the culture that sustains excellence on and off the field. Through an interactive conversation, audiences will explore what effective leadership looks like in athletics, higher education, and public life.

Crime In America

Dr. Scott Atlas and Heather Mac Donald

March 24th | 6:00 PM | Mildred Sainer Pavilion – New College of Florida

Join us on March 24th at New College of Florida’s Sainer Pavilion, Dr. Scott Atlas and Heather Mac Donald of the Manhattan Institute join the Socratic Stage for a candid conversation on crime in America and how to fix it. Drawing on research and on-the-ground policy experience, they’ll examine what’s driving today’s public-safety challenges and which reforms actually reduce violence while restoring trust. The program invites the community into a rigorous, question-driven dialogue on the realities behind the headlines and the choices shaping safer communities.

Recovering the Original Constitution

Dr. Richard Izquierdo, Dr. Adam Rowe and Dr. Casey Wheatland.

March 26th | 6:00 PM | Mildred Sainer Pavilion – New College of Florida

Join us on March 26, for an intellectually rigorous exploration of America’s founding principles as part of our “America at 250” initiative. This session of the Socratic Stage challenges participants to move beyond modern interpretations and engage directly with the source of American self-governance. The event aims to explore the actual text of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. By revisiting these seminal documents, we aim to equip citizens with a clearer understanding of the architectural framework that has sustained the American experiment for two and a half centuries.

Did The Human Mind Evolve?

Bill von Hippel and Cory Clark

April 7th | 6:00 PM | Mildred Sainer Pavilion – New College of Florida

Join us on April 7th at New College of Florida’s Sainer Pavilion, William von Hippel, bestselling author as seen on The Joe Rogan Experience, and New College professor Cory Clark join the Socratic Stage to ask a foundational question: Did the human mind evolve? Blending evolutionary theory with modern psychology, the discussion examines what natural selection may explain about cognition, behavior, and social life and where the evidence remains contested. The event offers a lively, inquiry-led forum for anyone curious about what shaped the way we think.