One to One with Bill Goodman
Berea College President Larry Shinn
premiered January 4, 2009
Berea College President Larry Shinn discusses the remarkable history and mission of the 153-year-old institution on this edition of One to One with Bill Goodman.
Shinn recounts how abolitionist John Fee founded the college in 1855, basing the institution’s goals on the biblical verse “God has made of one blood all peoples of the Earth.” Therefore, everyone, regardless of race, gender or class, was welcome to study at Berea. Shinn also describes the period in which Berea was required by law to separate the races and how the college currently strives to continue its original mission.
The college president then shares his own history. A first-generation college student with a rural background, Shinn attended a city high school with a large African-American population. He also spent time as a Quaker minister in the Middle East. These experiences, he says, taught him to appreciate all kinds of people and laid the groundwork for his career at Berea.
Shinn also discusses Berea’s commitment to Appalachia and Eastern Kentucky, including education and outreach programs; explains his belief that a liberal arts education is still valuable and globally relevant; and talks about the camaraderie of the diverse student population at Berea.
About the Series
One to One features in-depth interviews with a variety of interesting people. Guests are drawn from a wide range of fields, and conversations cover an enormous array of topics. While many noteworthy Kentuckians are featured, Bill also talks with fascinating visitors from around the world.
As host of Kentucky Tonight, bookclub@ket, and KET election coverage, Bill Goodman has built a reputation as a skilled and even-handed moderator. One to One, he says, represents an opportunity for more relaxed, in-depth conversations with a variety of guests.
One to One is a KET production, produced by Bill Goodman and Cindy Asher. The program is closed-captioned for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
