Academic Festivals

Cameron University’s academic festivals are dynamic, privately funded symposia that provide in-depth study into a single topic over the course of an academic year. Held every three years, these festivals feature nationally recognized speakers and unique public events. Cameron’s academic festival series has established a reputation for bringing thought-provoking, informative and entertaining speakers to Southwest Oklahoma.

The McCasland Foundation of Duncan is the primary sponsor of CU’s academic festivals. Over the years, financial support has also come from the McCasland/Amquest Bank Endowed Chair, established by the McCasland Foundation in 1989. Additional funding for the festivals frequently comes from the Cameron University Foundation and the Cameron University Lectures and Concerts Series.

The first academic festival, “Year of the Renaissance,” took place in 1991-92. Themes of previous academic festivals have included cultural diversity; predictions for the new millennium; the effect of globalization on the human experience; Afghanistan; sustainability; and, most recently, the American identity.

The theme for the 2023-24  academic festival is "Care and Health: A Generational Approach."