Northwood University will welcome award-winning historian and author Dr. Wilfred M. McClay for a Freedom Seminar keynote address, “America: Land of Hope,” on Thursday, Nov. 6.
The lecture, which begins at 6 p.m. in the Griswold Lecture Hall, is free and open to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. The event will be livestreamed for those who would like to attend virtually.
McClay, the Victor Davis Hanson Chair in Classical History and Western Civilization at Hillsdale College, authored the celebrated book Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, which has become a modern classic for those seeking a balanced and inspiring account of the American experience. During his upcoming lecture at Northwood, McClay will explore America’s 250-year experiment in individual liberty and self-government — an enduring story of ideals tested, freedoms defended, and hope renewed.
“We are honored to host Dr. McClay, whose scholarship and perspective capture the essence of The Northwood Idea — an enduring belief in the power of free people to create, innovate, and flourish,” stated Northwood Economics Chair Dr. Dale Matcheck.
“This address promises to be both timely and deeply inspiring as our country approaches its 250th anniversary,” added Dr. Alexander Tokarev, associate economics and philosophy professor and academic lead for the Fall 2025 Northwood University Freedom Seminar.
Dr. McClay’s appearance is made possible through the generous assistance of the Institute for Humane Studies (IHS). Since 1961, IHS has supported students and scholars advancing the frontiers of political, economic, cultural, and intellectual freedom.
The author of numerous books and essays, McClay is best known for Land of Hope and The Masterless: Self and Society in Modern America, which received the prestigious Merle Curti Award from the Organization of American Historians. He also co-edited “Religion Returns to the Public Square” and serves on the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, helping shape national reflections on America’s founding principles as the nation nears its 250th anniversary.
The Northwood University Freedom Seminar is America’s Free Enterprise University’s signature academic forum exploring the ideas and institutions that sustain a free society. Each year, it brings thought leaders from around the world to engage students and the broader community in conversations about liberty, markets, and moral responsibility, over the course of an entire semester.
For information about other upcoming Freedom Seminar events, visit https://www.northwood.edu/freedom-seminar/.
