Prelude
Toccata in D minor, BWV 538 - J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Dr. Daniel E. Schwandt
University Organist and Lecturer of Music
Musical Selection
Signore Ascolta from Turandot – Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Ava Wadia ’26, soprano
Isaac Epley ’27, collaborator
Land Acknowledgement
Noemi Delgado, Director of Accessibility Services
Welcome Remarks & Introduction of Astead Herndon
Jason Brozek, Stephen Edward Scarff Professor of International Affairs and Associate Professor of Government
Convocation Address
Astead Herndon
Host and Editorial Director, Vox
Postlude
Fanfare for Organ - Richard Proulx (1937-2010)
Dr. Daniel E. Schwandt
University Organist and Lecturer of Music
Speaker Biography
As a host and editorial director at Vox, Astead Herndon helps lead politics coverage across text, video, audio, and social media platforms. Herndon comes to Vox from the New York Times, where he distinguished himself as a sharp, accessible voice on American politics, hosting The Run-Up podcast and reporting stories in text, audio, and video formats. His reporting is known for translating complex political dynamics into clear, nuanced stories that resonated with both political insiders and those outside the political bubble.
Herndon has been named the 2025 Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists, and he also won the Distinguished Journalist Award from DePaul University in 2025. He lives in Brooklyn.
Notices
- As a courtesy to the artists and to those in attendance, please be aware that sounds such as whispering and the rustling of paper and cellophane wrappers are magnified in the hall.
- Please silence all cell phones and other electronic devices during convocations.
- Convocations may not be recorded, photographed, or broadcast without the written consent of the speaker and Lawrence University.
- Bag lunches for students, faculty & staff will be available to go in the Music-Drama Center lobby following the Convocation.
- Please refrain from talking during all musical selections.
An American Sign Language interpreter will be available and located on the stage.
Next Convocation
Honors Convocation:
Sara Ceballos, Associate Professor of Music, and Danielle Joyner, Associate Professor of Art History
"Hildegard of Bingen on How To Find Your Place in the Universe"
Friday, May 29, 2026, 12:30 p.m.
For more information, please see the Convocation Series.
We collectively acknowledge that Lawrence University is situated on the ancestral homelands of the Menominee and Ho-Chunk people.