ERIE – The Jefferson Educational Society (JES) kicked off its 17th annual signature fall speaker series, the Global Summit, on Sept. 16 in front of a record-setting crowd for the single largest ticketed educational event in Erie history, hosting “A Conversation with President Barack Obama.” 

The nonpartisan think tank headquartered in Erie promoting civic engagement and education continues its 2025 Global Summit through Dec. 4, which includes three updates.

Both “Faith, Religion, and American Politics: A Conversation with Vice President Mike Pence and Paul McNulty,” featuring Vice President Mike Pence and former Grove City College President Paul McNulty, and “‘All Too Clear’ – Exploring Invasive Species Beneath the Surface of the Great Lakes,” a documentary screening and panel discussion with Yvonne Drebert and Zach Melnick, will be hosted at new locations.

The Wednesday, Nov. 5, event featuring Pence and McNulty has been moved to the JES, located at 3207 State St., Erie; the Friday, Nov. 7, documentary screening and panel discussion with Drebet and Melnick, will take place at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Drive, Erie.

“When we launched the Global Summit in 2009 as a two-and-a-half-day series of five events, all programs were hosted at the JES,” said Ferki Ferati, president of JES. “Today, we’re excited to be able to continue to host dynamic, insightful conversations on our on campus, and to bring world-class events into the community through great partnerships at a variety of locations, now including the Tom Ridge Environmental Center.”

Additionally, JES announced that, due to unforeseen circumstances, the Thursday, Oct. 23 event, “Leading through Listening: The Importance of Trust, Culture, and Feedback,” has been postponed.

“We are sorry we can’t make it this year, but we do look forward to rescheduling this as soon as possible,” said Col. Katie Crombe and Gen. Joe Votel, who were previously scheduled to appear at this year’s Global Summit. “We appreciate the role that important forums like JES’s Global Summit plays in advancing public discourse and connecting leaders on key issues.”

As soon as a new date is secured, the JES will share details with the media and post updates on its website, where the most up-to-date information about the Global Summit events can be found.

Additional Global Summit events include:

Wednesday, Oct. 22: “A Journey of Perseverance: An Evening with Jim Kelly,” featuring Pro Football Hall of Fame Quarter Jim KellyFriday, Oct. 24: “Europe with(out) the U.S. — the Future of NATO and the European Union,” featuring former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Mark Gitenstein. Monday, Oct. 27: “The Future of College Athletics and Sports Media: Where They Are Now, Where They Are Headed,” featuring Adrian ‘Woj’ Wojnarowski, St. Bonaventure Men’s Basketball General Manager, former ESPN Senior NBA Insider.Wednesday, Oct. 29: “This Just In: Latest Discoveries in the Universe,” featuring famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.Monday, Nov. 3: “American Progress from the Front Lines: Examining Local-Level Action, Innovation, and Solutions to Cities’ Challenges in Chaotic Times,” featuring a panel of former U.S. Mayors including Richard J. Berry (Albuquerque); Greg Fischer (Louisville); and William Peduto (Pittsburgh).Thursday, Nov. 6: “Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder,” with Michael McFaul, director of the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University.Monday, Nov. 10: “‘Carson the Magnificent’ – A Look at the Iconic TV Host and His Impact on Comedy Today,” featuring Mike Thomas, critically-acclaimed author.Tuesday, Nov. 11: “Humanity 2050: The Future of Our World, Our Universe, and Ourselves,” Charles Liu, astronomer, educator, author, and science communicator.Thursday, Nov. 13: “New Prize for These Eyes: The Rise of America’s Second Civil Rights Movement,” featuring Senior Political Analyst and Best-Selling Author Juan Williams.Friday, Nov. 14: “The Medium is the Message: Media’s Impact on National Politics,” featuring renowned political analyst, bestselling author, Emmy-award winner, and founder of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics Larry Sabato. Thursday, Dec. 4: “An Evening ‘Exploring Your Roots’ with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.,” featuring the Alphonse Fletcher University professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University, and Emmy, Du Pont, and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, and institution builder, Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Details, including event times and location and how to register, can be found on the JES’s website, JESErie.org.

The Global Summit is hosted each year by JES in cooperation with a number of major community sponsors, including LECOM Health and Erie Insurance.