Spring speakers return to Assembly Hall

Assembly program resumes with full-capacity audience and diverse lineup.

By
Adam Loyd
March 24, 2022
Hrishikesh Hirway

The spring Assembly program kicks off this Friday with musician, podcaster and alum Hrishikesh Hirway ’96. Hirway’s address to assembly will mark the first time since February 2020, that a speaker, and the entire student body, will be together in Assembly Hall.

The multitalented Hirway gained notoriety as the host of the popular podcast “Song Exploder.” Adapted into a Netflix series, “Song Exploder” explores the inspiration and production of popular songs, with Hirway interviewing artists like Alicia Keys, Lin-Manuel Miranda and R.E.M. A composer, producer and recording artist in his own right, Hirway has released five albums under his own name.

Other featured speakers throughout the spring include Tommy Orange, author of the 2018 book “There, There,” and Emmy-winning multimedia producer Lauren Selig ’94. Orange’s New York Times best-seller chronicles life for a group of Native Americans living in Oakland, California. Selig, the founder of Shake and Bake productions, has spent the past two decades as an entrepreneur in the cross-section of film and emerging technologies.

Matt McGill ‘87 will reprise his popular Supreme Court review May 6. In what’s become a staple of the spring Assembly lineup, the Washington D.C.-based attorney brings with him a roundup of the most notable and newsworthy happenings from the highest court in the land. McGill himself has participated in 23 Supreme Court hearings, scoring victories in 17 decisions.

As part of the class of 1970’s 50th Reunion celebration, Robert Bauer ’70, White House counsel and current Professor of Practice and Distinguished Scholar in Residence and Co-Director of the Legislative and Regulatory Process Clinic at NYU – Law School, will speak on April 22. On May 20, Andrew Hertig ’57 will be presented with the Founders' Day Award.

Mask requirements will be in effect for all attending students and faculty. Assembly presentations will be streamed via Local Live. The full list of speakers can be found below.

March

25: Hrishikesh Hirway ‘96

April

1: Journalist Ron Suskind

8: Tommy Orange

15: Lauren Selig ’94

22: Robert Bauer ’70

29: A cappella groups

May

6: Matt McGill ’87

13: SPARC presentation

20: Founders' Day Award presentation

27: PEAN presentation

30: Prize Assembly