LATROBE, PA – The Saint Vincent College Threshold Series will return at 7 p.m. April 15 at the Fred M. Rogers Center with a lecture by Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz, a neuroscientist, concussion researcher and president of Michigan State University.
Guskiewicz will speak on “The Art and Science of Academic Leadership: Navigating the Complexities of an Ever-Changing Landscape in Higher Education.” He plans to focus on how he applied lessons learned as a sports concussion researcher when tackling challenging issues as an academic leader.
A platform for intellectual and cultural engagement, the Threshold Series for decades has brought a diverse array of distinguished speakers—scholars, experts, authors, artists and public figures—to the Saint Vincent College campus.
Established in 1981 through a generous grant from the Kennametal Foundation, the Threshold Series inspires intellectual curiosity, fosters meaningful dialogue and enriches the region’s cultural landscape. By deepening their understanding of the subject matter, attendees can connect theoretical concepts to real-world applications and seek additional knowledge beyond the lecture.
A native of Latrobe, Guskiewicz was appointed president of Michigan State on Dec. 8, 2023. He was chancellor of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill from 2019 to 2023.
Guskiewicz was founding director of the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center and the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes. A nationally recognized expert on sport-related concussions, Guskiewicz maintains an active research portfolio by serving as co-principal investigator on two multi-center research grants. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers in the areas of sports medicine and neuroscience.
His team’s groundbreaking work has garnered numerous awards and has influenced concussion guidelines in the pro and college football. In 2011, Guskiewicz received the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship for his innovative work on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of sport-related concussions.
In 2011, Guskiewicz convinced the NFL and NCAA to change their kickoff rules, which resulted in a 50% reduction in concussions on kickoffs. In 2013, Time magazine named Guskiewicz a “game changer,” one of 18 innovators who inspired change in America.
Guskiewicz earned a bachelor’s in athletic training from West Chester University, a master’s in exercise physiology/athletic training from the University of Pittsburgh and a doctorate in sports medicine from the University of Virginia. He and his wife Amy have four children: Jacob, Nathan, Adam and Tessa.
Admission is free. To register, visit https://form.jotform.com/SVCEvents/thresholdlecture. For more information, contact Maria Meyers at maria.meyers@stvincent.edu or 724-805-2268.
Dr. Kevin M. Guskiewicz
