Performance Venues at Elizabethtown College
Elizabethtown College offers a variety of programming at several campus venues:
Leffler Chapel and Performance Center
With its towering steeple and location on the shore of Lake Placida, The Leffler Chapel and Performance Center is one of the most scenic, recognizable buildings on campus. The venue opened in 1995 and is primarily used to showcase the artistic endeavors of the campus and surrounding community; additionally, it serves as a central location for worship on campus. The Chapel's ornate Musser Auditorium seats 840 guests. Two art galleries and two practice areas/meeting rooms are also housed in this grand building.
Tempest Theatre, Baugher Student Center
The Tempest Theatre is a flexible Black Box theatre space that can seat up to 200, depending upon its configuration. The theatre is equipped with movable seating risers that afford flexible seating arrangements. Traditionally, the Department of Theatre and Dance holds three major productions during the academic year in Tempest Theatre.
Zug Recital Hall
The elegant and intimate Zug Recital Hall seats 90. Hosting 35-40 concerts a year, this auditorium is home to the Department of Music of the Division of Fine and Performing Arts.
Bowers Writers House
The Elizabethtown College Bowers Writers House opened in fall of 2010. It is an interdisciplinary venue for expression, study, presentation and performance and features writers, of course, but its programming extends well beyond the page.
Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies
An integral part of academic life at Elizabethtown College, the Young Center fosters and promotes the study of Anabaptist and Pietist groups. Located near the college's Lake Placida, the Young Center includes the Bucher Meetinghouse, a small bookstore (the Bucher Bookshop), offices, and research and classroom space.
Koons Activity Venue -- The KAV, Baugher Student Center
From bands to comedians and from dances to banquets, the KAV bustles with Office of Student Activities events during the academic year. Other College events, such as banquets, meetings and expos, are held in the KAV as well.
Art Galleries
The Department of Fine Arts of the Division of Fine and Performing Arts oversees exhibitions in three campus galleries.
Gallery hours: Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday: 1 to 5 p.m.
Hess Gallery
The Hess Gallery is located in Zug Memorial Hall and features a variety of exhibitions throughout the academic Year.
Lyet Gallery
The Lyet Gallery, located on the second floor of Leffler Chapel and Performance Center, features changing exhibits.
McCormick Gallery
Located on the first floor of Leffler Chapel, displays works on loan and objects from the College's permanent collection.
Endowed Lectures
The Rev. Dr. Frank S. Carper Lecture on Ethics, Business and Society
The Rev. Dr. Frank S. Carper Lecture on Ethics, Business and Society honors the legacy and contributions of Elizabethtown College alumnus and former trustee, the Rev. Dr. Frank S. Carper ’13 (1893-1975). In 1980, his family and friends created The Rev. Dr. Frank S. Carper Lecture on Ethics, Business and Society to further the dialogue about ethics and business at Elizabethtown College and in central Pennsylvania.
The Durnbaugh Lectures
Established in 1993, the Durnbaugh Lectures honor the scholarly efforts of Donald F. and Hedwig T. Durnbaugh to preserve and interpret the history of Anabaptist and Pietist groups. In their honor, friends and colleagues established an endowment to support a lectureship on the faith, life and heritage of these denominations. The annual series brings a distinguished scholar to Elizabethtown College's Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies for presentations on topics related to the scholar's research.
The Kreider Lecture
Thanks to the generosity of J. Kenneth ’61 and Carroll Kreider ’60, the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies is able to annually invite a visiting fellow each spring to study. The Kreider Fellowship nurtures the study of the Anabaptist and Pietist traditions and aids young researchers in pursuing their scholarly work. Through the Kreider Lecture, the visiting scholars will share insights of their work with the public. The Kreiders are strong supporter of the Young Center. Their commitment to the Center’s scholarly mission is ensuring that the academic contributions of its fellows will continue for years to come.
The Carlos R. and Georgiana E. Leffler Memorial Lecture
Created by Linda ’67 and Patrick Castagna, the Carlos R. and Georgiana E. Leffler Memorial Lecture honors the legacy and contributions of Mrs. Castagna’s parents, who greatly enriched Elizabethtown College and their community during their lives. Through the fund, the College is able to present speakers of national and international renown, who enhance the educational experience for our students and create meaningful public dialogue. The lecture is presented under the auspices of Elizabethtown’s Women and Gender Studies Program.
The Snowden Lecture
Thanks to the generosity of Lucille Snowden, the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies is able to annually invite a visiting fellow each fall to study. The Snowden Fellowship nurtures the study of the Anabaptist and Pietist traditions and aids young researchers in pursuing their scholarly work. Through the Snowden Lecture, the visiting scholars will share insights of their work with the public. Mrs. Snowden—along with her husband, Armon, during his lifetime—is strong supporter of the Young Center. The Snowdens’ commitment to the Center’s scholarly mission has ensured that the academic contributions of its fellows will continue for years to come.
The Ware Lecture on Peacemaking
A highlight of the College's cultural event series, the Ware Lecture on Peacemaking is part of the multifaceted Ware Colloquium on Peacemaking and Global Citizenship. It is delivered annually under the auspices of the College's Center for Global Understanding and Peacebuilding, the Ware Colloquium, created through the generous sponsorship of Judy S. '68 and Paul W. Ware.
Other lectures include The John F. Chubb Lecture on Business, Public Policy and World Affairs (which honors the legacy of alumnus and former trustee from the class of 1961), the Anna Reese Tempest Distinguished Educator Lecture Series, and the Elizabethtown College Poetry Series.