Dr. Katy Strickland, the chair of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts and director of the Bearcat Marching Band at Northwest Missouri State University, will present this year’s “Last Lecture,” titled “Write Your Future in Pencil” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts.

Sponsored by Northwest's Society of President’s Scholars, the annual event gives a Northwest faculty member the opportunity to speak as they would during the last lecture of their careers.

“Dr. Strickland is a kind, caring, wise woman with a wealth of knowledge reaching far outside just music education,” Savannah Baker, president of the Society of Presidential Scholars, said. “We believe her life experiences and knowledge give her an amazing perspective on life, learning and the world.”

Strickland, who was Northwest’s recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Education in 2018, has a Ph.D. in music education, a Master of Music Education and a Bachelor of Music Education, all from Louisiana State University. She joined the Northwest faculty in 2013 and her academic interests include innovative technology for teaching intonation to instrumental musicians, participation in music across the lifespan and quality teaching methods for young percussionists.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but seating is limited on a first-come, first-served basis to 130 people, in alignment with Northwest’s COVID-19 mitigation measures. The Society also will provide an online streaming option via Zoom and the Department of Humanities and Social Science’s Facebook page.

For more information about the Last Lecture, contact Baker at S529205@nwmissouri.edu.