BVU Announces Transformation of American Heritage Lecture Series into the America’s Future Lecture Series

December 4, 2025

Buena Vista University (BVU) today announced a major evolution of one of its signature academic traditions. Beginning in Fall 2026, the University's long-established William W. Siebens American Heritage Lecture Series will enter a new chapter as the America's Future Lecture Series, a reimagined program designed to bring nationally recognized thought leaders to campus to engage the BVU community in future-focused discussions around technology and its influence on all aspects of American life.

The inaugural America's Future Lecture will be held Friday, November 13, 2026, and will feature Dr. Daron Acemoglu, renowned MIT economist, and recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Dr. Acemoglu's influential research explores how political institutions, technology, and innovation affect economic opportunity and prosperity. His current work, which focuses on artificial intelligence and the future of work, offers timely perspectives for students and faculty across disciplines.

As part of this lecture series evolution, BVU is launching the Siebens Fellowship, a new initiative that will pair two selected faculty members from different disciplines to design and teach a new interdisciplinary course debuting in Fall 2026. The course will guide students in exploring the economic, social, and ethical dimensions of technological change through the lens of Dr. Acemoglu's work and will culminate in the continued student-driven panel connected to the lecture series.

"Transitioning to the America's Future Lecture Series reflects BVU's commitment to innovative, future-focused learning," said Buena Vista University President Brian A. Lenzmeier, Ph.D. "By pairing an international thought leader with a faculty-driven academic experience, this program strengthens our curriculum and creates deeper, lasting impact on students' understanding of the rapidly changing world."

About Dr. Daron Acemoglu
Dr. Daron Acemoglu is an Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Faculty Co-Director of MIT's Shaping the Future of Work Initiative. A globally recognized economist, he is an elected fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, the British Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and numerous international scholarly societies.

He is the author of six books, including the New York Times bestseller Why Nations Fail (with James A. Robinson) and Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle over Technology and Prosperity (with Simon Johnson). His research spans political economy, labor economics, technological change, inequality, and economic growth. In addition to the 2024 Nobel Prize, Dr. Acemoglu's honors include the John Bates Clark Medal, the Nemmers Prize, and several other international awards. He holds multiple honorary doctorates.

About the William W. Siebens American Heritage Lecture Series
Established and endowed by Dr. Harold Walter Siebens in honor of his son, William W. Siebens, the American Heritage Lecture Series has long served as one of BVU's most distinguished academic events. Rooted in the exploration of freedom as a complex and evolving idea, the series has brought influential global figures to campus, including Jimmy Carter, Margaret Thatcher, Condoleezza Rice, and Steve Wozniak, to discuss contemporary issues in business, government, law, religion, the media, and other aspects of American life.
For decades, the series has reflected BVU's commitment to civic engagement and the responsibilities of global citizenship. These values continue in its evolution into the America's Future Lecture Series.

For more information about America's Future Lecture Series, go to bvu.edu/afls.