Cecilia Conrad of the MacArthur Foundation will present a lecture, "Inspiring Creativity," at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21, on the Knox College campus. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be in Harbach Theatre in the Ford Center for the Fine Arts.

Conrad is vice president of the MacArthur Fellows Program, often referred to informally as the "genius grant" program.

The MacArthur Fellowship is a five-year grant to individuals who show exceptional creativity in their work and the prospect for still more in the future, according to the MacArthur Foundation's website. The fellowship is designed to provide recipients with the flexibility to pursue their own artistic, intellectual, and professional activities.

Conrad's presentation will kick off Knox College's Fall Institute, a series of events to provide Knox students with opportunities to shape and define their goals and educational plans toward a purposeful academic career.

The Fall Institute schedule consists of sessions that cover a wide range of topics, including study abroad, funding opportunities for research and creative work, and preparing for medical school.

Fall Institute will conclude with the Graduate and Professional School Fair from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Lincoln Room of Seymour Union. Representatives from more than 50 graduate programs will be on campus to talk with students.

The event is organized by the Bastian Family Career Center.