Author Walter Isaacson to discuss ‘Timeless Leadership’ on April 22
What secrets do history’s luminaries share? Widely considered to be one of today’s most insightful biographers, Walter Isaacson captures the unique cultural currents surrounding remarkable leaders and creative thinkers in his best-selling books on Steve Jobs, Leonardo DaVinci, Jennifer Doudna, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin and others.
On Tuesday, April 22, Isaacson will discuss how success came to these exceptional figures, through the questioning of conventional wisdom and a willingness to explore new ideas, when he presents “Timeless Leadership,” this year’s Rudolf G. Schade Lecture on History, Ethics and Law at Elmhurst University.
Bringing audiences closer to these history-makers, Isaacson analyzes the leadership traits they share, and the lessons they can teach us on fostering the creativity necessary to compete in a new century of globalization.
Walter Isaacson is a professor of history at Tulane University and an advisory partner at Perella Weinberg, a financial services firm based in New York City. He has been the CEO of the Aspen Institute, the CEO of CNN, and the editor of Time Magazine.
“Steve Jobs,” Isaacson’s 2011 bestselling biography of the co-founder of Apple, is based on more than 40 interviews with Jobs conducted over two years, as well as interviews with more than 100 family members, friends, adversaries and colleagues. He is also the author of “The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race” (2021); “Leonardo da Vinci” (2017); “Benjamin Franklin: An American Life” (2003), and many other titles.
In addition to his work as a teacher, author and executive, Isaacson is an active civic and philanthropic leader. He is chair emeritus of Teach for America, and from 2005-07, he was vice chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, which oversaw the rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.
The program begins at 7 p.m. in Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst. A book signing will follow the lecture, and copies of some of Isaacson’s titles will be available for purchase before the lecture, beginning at 6:15 p.m.
Public lectures and other cultural programming at Elmhurst University support community engagement and lifelong learning, and prepare students to thrive as adaptive leaders.
Admission is $15 for the general public and free for Elmhurst University students, faculty, staff and alumni. More information and tickets are available at elmhurst.edu/Cultural. Questions? Email marketing@elmhurst.edu.