Futurist to Give Winthrop Rockefeller Distinguished Lecture at U of A

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Sheryl Connelly.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Sheryl Connelly, the in-house “futurist” at Ford Motor Company, will deliver the Winthrop Rockefeller Distinguished Lecture at the University of Arkansas at 7p.m. Friday, March 3 in the Faulkner Performing Arts Center. 

The event is free and open to the public; free tickets are available at the door only, and seating is limited.

Connelly is known for her ability to recognize consumer and lifestyle trends, identifying changes in customer attitudes and behavioral patterns that directly impact business strategy.

She was twice named one of the "100 Most Creative People in Business," by Fast Company  and was listed among TechWeek’s "Top 100 Innovators."

She will speak on how developing a futurist mindset and “big picture” perspective can help business innovate and remain relevant in a constantly evolving world.  

This event is co-sponsored by the University of Arkansas Distinguished Lectures Committee, Office of Student Activities, and the Division of Student Affairs. 

The Winthrop Rockefeller Distinguished Lectures program was established in 1972 by friends of Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller. It assists faculty at five campuses of the University of Arkansas System in obtaining outstanding visiting lecturers to communicate ideas that stimulate public discussion, intellectual debate and cultural advancement. Past speakers in the series at the Fayetteville campus include Jonathan Kozol, W.S. Merwin, Billy Collins, Isabel Allende, Buzz Aldrin, Howard Zinn, Daniel Janzen, Lee Lynd, and Rigoberta Menchu.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.