GC to Host the 62nd Annual Jean Fortner Ward Lecture Series, Featuring Cole Arthur Riley, NY Times Best-selling Author
Greensboro College to Host Bestselling Author Cole Arthur Riley for 62nd Annual Jean Fortner Ward Lecture Series
GREENSBORO, N.C. – [Oct 27, 2025] – Greensboro College is delighted to announce that writer, poet, and New York Times bestselling author Cole Arthur Riley will deliver the 62nd annual Jean Fortner Ward Lecture.
The event, which is open to the public, is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the historic Hannah Brown Finch Chapel on the Greensboro College campus.
Featuring Author Cole Arthur Riley
Cole Arthur Riley is one of today’s most powerful and resonant voices exploring faith, spirituality, and human dignity. She is the instant New York Times bestselling author of “This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us,” and “Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human.”
Riley is also the creator and curator of the widely influential digital project Black Liturgies, a space that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body. Her writing, which calls readers back to community, breath, and their own human fragility and strength, has been featured in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Guernica. She currently serves as the Executive Curator of The Center for Dignity and Contemplation.
A Legacy of Faith and Higher Education
The Jean Fortner Ward Lecture Series was initiated in 1964 through the generosity of the late William S. Ward in honor of his wife, Jean Fortner Ward, an alumna and former trustee of the college. The series was established to bring outstanding speakers to the Greensboro College campus to address and explore the vital connections between faith and higher education. For over six decades, the series has upheld its tradition of presenting dynamic thinkers who challenge and inspire the college community and the broader public.
Event Details and Registration
The lecture is free and open to the public, but seating is limited, and registration is required to ensure attendance.
- What: The 62nd Annual Jean Fortner Ward Lecture featuring Cole Arthur Riley.
- When: Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 7:00 p.m.
- Where: Hannah Brown Finch Chapel, Greensboro College Campus.
- Registration: Members of the public must register in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-jean-fortner-ward-lecture-featuring-cole-arthur-riley-tickets-1545541649679?aff=oddtdtcreator
Cole Arthur Riley will also be signing books immediately following the lecture.
About Greensboro College: Greensboro College provides a liberal arts education grounded in the traditions of the United Methodist Church and fosters the intellectual, social, and spiritual development of all students.
JEAN FORTNER WARD LECTURE
ON ISSUES OF FAITH AND
HIGHER EDUCATION
