Students and faculty gathered in the Greenlawn Auditorium on Tuesday, October 2, to hear a guest lecture given by Dr. Richard Klee, a Trinity parent and a visiting assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame.

Dr. Klee has been a faculty member with the Moreau College Initiative at Westville Correctional Facility for six years. In his talk entitled, “These Least Of Our Brothers: The Christian Liberal Arts In Prison,” he shared about the unique aspects of being a teacher in a prison context, explaining how in spite of the inherent challenges, a liberal arts education—especially one that is rooted in Christian hope—can be profoundly redemptive and life-changing for people who are incarcerated.

Dr. Klee also shared some of his own family history as the descendent of a young girl (his grandmother) who, along with other American citizens in Manila during WWII, was incarcerated in a prison camp for three and a half years. In the camp, fellow prisoners who had been teachers by profession, including Holy Cross nuns, took it upon themselves to set up a school in the prison, freely giving others the gift of a liberal arts education. Because of this, his grandmother was able to excel as a student both during and after her internment. She graduated as the valedictorian of her high school, turning down offers to attend Ivy League colleges in order to attend St. Mary’s College here in Indiana, where she could continue her education with the Holy Cross nuns. It was fascinating to hear how Dr. Klee’s current work with prison education has been inspired by his family history.

This in-school guest lecture was part of Trinity’s Lecture & Performance Series.