The community is invited to join Lander University and the Arts Center of Greenwood for the second installment of the 2024-25 Community Lecture Series Tuesday, October 22. Dr. Matthew Malone, associate professor of political science and homeland security at Lander, will give a lecture commemorating the 35th anniversary of Hurricane Hugo. The lecture will begin at 6 p.m. at the Arts Center of Greenwood, with complimentary refreshments and a cash bar opening at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Natural and man-made disasters are a common occurrence in the United States. South Carolina is no stranger to disaster. Since 2014, the state has experienced twenty federally declared emergencies or disasters. These have included a winter storm, flooding, severe storms, a fire, COVID-19 and numerous hurricanes. The largest and costliest disaster in South Carolina, however, occurred 35 years ago: Hurricane Hugo.

At the time, this was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history, and it claimed over 60 lives. The country has learned a lot since Hurricane Hugo, but Malone’s talk will explore whether communities are truly prepared for the next disaster. This lecture uses Hurricane Hugo as a case study to consider how the federal government can assist following a disaster and how individuals can prepare for these events.

Malone is an associate professor of political science and homeland security, as well as the program coordinator for the Master of Science in Emergency Management at Lander. He has a B.S. from the University of North Alabama, an M.A. from the University of Alabama-Huntsville, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Public Policy from Auburn University. He previously worked for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency in response and recovery.

Please visit www.lander.edu/events for updates and to confirm event times and venues. For questions, please contact Interim Assistant Provost Dr. Mark Rollins at 864-388-8563 or [email protected].