Free Market Speaker Series
Each semester we invite speakers from the business and academic world who address the underlying principles of a market economy. Students, faculty, alumni, and the ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø business community are invited to attend our events.
Fall 2025
Vincent Geloso - Assistant Professor of Economics at George Mason University
"The First Egalitarian Enrichment"
Thursday, October 16, 2025 | 6:00 PM | Septima Clark Auditorium
The common belief is that America had a "Gilded Age" of rising inequality between 1870 and 1910 and it was progressive eras policies that leveled inequalities starting in the 1910s. This is wrong. Inequality fell between 1870 and 1910 at a continuous pace and the share of income going to the bottom 90% increased continually. The pace of "absolute" improvements was exceptionally underappreciated pre-1910 because of data issues. This is why we need to call the period from 1870 to 1940 the first Egalitarian Enrichment.
Vincent Geloso is an Assistant Professor of Economics at George Mason University. He held prior appointments at Texas Tech University, Bates College and King’s University College. Mr Geloso holds a PhD in economic history from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a master’s degree in economic history from the same institution. He has published more than 100 scientific articles in journals such as Economic Journal, Journal of Development Economics, Research Policy, European Journal of Political Economy, Public Choice, Economics & Human Biology, Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Contemporary Economic Policy, and the British Medical Journal: Global Health. He is also associate editor at Structural Change and Economic Dynamics and Essays in Economic and Business History.
Spaulding Speaker Series: Magatte Wade - Entrepreneur, African prosperity activist, and author of The Heart of a Cheetah
Wednesday, September 24, 2025 | 6:00 PM | Wells Fargo Auditorium
The Center is partnering with the Student Success Center to bring Magette Wade to campus on Wednesday, September 24th, at 6 PM at the Wells Fargo Auditorium.
Wade is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur dedicated to unlocking prosperity in Africa. She was born in Senegal and raised in France, but never stopped asking herself, “Why are some countries poor while others are rich?”
Wade has founded businesses in Senegal and Silicon Valley. She supports free markets and economic freedom. She believes both are the “pathway” for Africa to improve its business environment, overcome poverty, tackle social issues, and raise its educational bar. Her book “The Heart of a Cheetah” explores these ideas.
Wade’s talk is a Spaulding Speaker event. CofC administrators, staff, professors, students, and the public are all invited to attend.
Previous Speakers
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2020-2025
- Spring 2025
- Dr. Jason Brennan, Robert J. and Elizabeth Flanagan Family Professor of Strategy, Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy, McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University - event cancelled
- Fall 2024
- Dr. Anthony Gill, Professor of Political Science at the University of Washington
- Ben Klutsey, Executive Director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University
- Dr. Justin Callais, Chief Economist at the Archbridge Institute
- John Chisholm, Author and CEO of John Chisholm Ventures
- Spring 2024
- Dr. Gary A. Wagner, Acadiana Business Economist/BORSF Eminent Scholar Endowed Chair at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
- Spring 2023
- Robert Chatfield, President & Chief Executive Officer of Free to Choose Network
- John C. Mozena, President of the Center for Economic Accountibility
- Fall 2022
- Lauren Heller, Berry College, Professor of Economics in the Campbell School of Business and the Assistant Provost for Teaching and Research
- Sam Staley, DeVoe Moore Center, Director
- Spring 2022
- Alicia Plemmons, Assistant Professor in the Department of General Business at West Virginia University
- Fall 2021
- Patrick Reasonover, They Say It Can’t be Done, Lead Producer
- Benjamin Powell, Texas Tech University, Executive Director of the Free Market Institute and a Professor of Economics
- Fall 2020
- Deirdre Nansen McCloskey, University of Illinois at Chicago, Professor Emerita of Economics and of History, and Professor Emerita of English and of Communication
- Matt Ridley, scientist, journalist, national newspaper columnist and columnist and chairman of the International Centre for Life, in Newcastle, England,
- Spring 2020
- Robby Soave, Senior Editor at Reason
- Spring 2025
-
2014-2019
- Fall 2018
- Thomas Leonard, Princeton University, Research Scholar in the Humanities Council, and Lecturer in the Department of Economics
- Siri Terjesen, American University’s Kogod School of Business, Professor and Dean’s Research Fellow in Entrepreneurship
- Spring 2018
- Sun Zhe, Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, adjunct senior research scholar and co-director of the China Initiative
- Fall 2017
- Gary Libecap, Bren School, research focused on the legal, economic, and policy aspects of water allocation in the western United States
- Marion Smith, National Civic Art Society, Chairman
- Paul Gregory, University of Houston and Hoover Institution/Stanford, Professor of Economics at the University of Houston and research Fellow
- Spring 2017
- Dwight Lee, affiliated with the O’Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom, Senior Fellow
- Fall 2015
- Randy Simmons, Utah State University, professor in the Department of Economics and Finance
- Fall 2014
- Timur Kuran, Duke University, Professor of Economics and Political Science, and Gorter Family Professor of Islamic Studies
- John Cerasuolo, the Beacon Center of Tennessee, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of ADS Security
- Sarah Skwire, Liberty Fund, Fellow and author of Writing with a Thesis
- Spring 2014
- Joe Scarlet, retired chairman and CEO of Tractor Supply Company and founder of the Scarlett Leadership Institute Bruce Benson, Florida State University, research professor, courtesy professor of Law and Economics department chair
- Virginia Postrel, Author of The Power of Glamour: Longing and the Art of Visual Persuasion
- Fall 2018
-
2008-2013
- Fall 2013
- Surse Pierpoint, Colon Import & Export, General Manager
- Nigel Ashford, Institute for Humane Studies, senior program officer
- Spring 2013
- Jerry Jordan, Pittsburg National Bank and First Interstate Bancorp, Commercial banking
- Fall 2012
- Wayne Leighton, Universidad Francisco Marroquín Guatemala (UFM), professor and Executive Director of The Antigua Forum
- David Nott, the Reason Foundation, President
- Yaron Brook, Ayn Rand Institute, President
- Spring 2012
- John Allison, BB&T, former CEO and President
- Deirdre McCloskey, University of Illinois at Chicago, Professor of Economics, History, English and Communications
- Peter G. Klein, University of Missouri, Associate Professor of Applied Social Science and Director of the McQuinn Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
- Fall 2011
- Larry White, Distinguished Senior Fellow of the F. A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics and Economics of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University
- Spring 2011
- Tara Smith, University of Texas, Professor of Philosophy
- Russell Roberts, George Mason University, Professor of Economics
- Fall 2010
- Virginia Postrel, The Role of Glamour in Political Economy
- Bruce Yandle, "Whose Garden Was this? Property Rights and the Environment"
- Spring 2010
- Mallory Factor, FACTOR INC, President
- Peter J. Boettke, George Mason University, Professor of Economics and Philosophy
- John Stossel, Currently host of Fox Business News
- Fall 2009
- Thomas DiLorenzo, Loyola College in Maryland, Professor of Economics
- Benjamin Powell, Suffolk University, Assistant Professor of Economics
- Spring 2009
- Michael C. Munger, Professor Chair, Duke University, Political Science and Professor of Economics
- Robert Lawson, Auburn University, Associate Professor of Finance
- John A. Allison, IV, BB&T Corporation, Chairman and CEO
- Fall 2008
- Gerald Dwyer, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Vice President
- Russel Sobel, West Virginia University, James Clark Coffman Distinguished Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies
- Fall 2013