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VIP Series

CFK VIP Series

In its eighth season, The College of the Florida Keys’ VIP Series presents new opportunities to educate, entertain, and enrich our community. The 2022 CFK VIP Series features speakers and performers of local, regional, and national prominence to share their visions, ideas, and perspectives on an array of topics. Three evening events will be held in the College’s Tennessee Williams Theatre. Tickets are $5 at the door; admission is free for CFK and Monroe County School District students.

Writing about Key West


Dr. Emily Weekley: 
Poet and Author
English Faculty, The College of the Florida Keys

The College of the Florida Keys (Key West Campus)
Tuesday, March 29 at 7 p.m.

Most people are inspired by where they live, but this is especially true in Key West. This lecture will discuss what it is about such a place that inspires narrative, tone, and imagery, as well as some of the challenges one encounters when writing about Key West. Join Dr. Emily Weekley, poet, author, and CFK English faculty, to consider what the benefits and dangers are of writing about place, as well as how a writer might get started in writing regionally.

The Discovery, Early Mapping, and Charting of the Florida Keys and the Gulf Stream

Brian Schmitt
:
Author & Map Researcher

The College of the Florida Keys (Upper Keys Campus)
Tuesday, April 5 at 7 p.m.

Local author and map aficionado Brian Schmitt will lead the audience on a revelation of historical discoveries through maps of Florida and the Florida Keys dating back to the 16th century. His research of early maps and charts of Florida, as well as of the Gulf Stream—one of the most historically significant seaways in the world— tells the story of how geography, exploration, politics, and industry converged to shape the future of the island chain.

Pandemics Beyond People: Diseases of Lobsters and Corals

Dr. Abigail Clark:

Marine Science Faculty, The College of the Florida Keys

The College of the Florida Keys (Key West Campus)
Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m.

Approximately 97% of all animal species are invertebrates (lack a backbone) and it is estimated that several million additional invertebrate species are yet to be described. Similarly, the diversity of diseases of marine invertebrates is vast and growing. Dr. Abigail Clark will present her recent research on the ecology of lobster and coral diseases in the Caribbean region.