The College of Arts and Humanities at California State University, Fresno begins its 2008-09 lecture series with an examination of how contact with the Near East influenced some of ancient Greece̢۪s best-known writings.

“The Romance Between Greece and the Eastâ€Â will be presented by Tim Whitmarsh, an expert on the Greek literature of the Roman Empire, as part of the Phebe McClatchy Conley Lecture series. He will speak at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 4 in the Leon S. and Pete P. Peters Education Center in the Student Recreation Center at Fresno State. There is no charge to attend.

Whitmarsh is the E.P. Warren praelector (fellow) at Corpus Christi College, part of England̢۪s Oxford University. He has authored several books and currently is studying how ancient fiction is a tool to bridge cultures.

The Conley Lectures are presented under sponsorship of the college̢۪s Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures and Classical Studies Program.

The Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series, featuring alumni who have distinguished themselves since leaving campus, will offer presentations on subjects that range from Latino issues in the Southwest to film making and broadcast journalism.

The Distinguished Alumni Lecture Series presentations are:

• “Where the Ox Does Not Plowâ€Â by Dr. Manuel Pena, who graduated in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in music and received a master’s in English in 1975. He is considered an authority on Mexican-American music. Pena’s book, “Where the Ox Does Not Plow,â€Â chronicles his journey as an impoverished migrant worker to a career as a university professor. It also reflects on a wide range of issues arising from the marginalized condition of Mexicans and other Latinos in the American Southwest. The lecture is at 4 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Alice Peters Auditorium in the University Business Center.
• “A Story Teller Recounts: The Journey from Fresno State to the Oscarsâ€Â by Brad Lewis, a 1980 graduate of Fresno State’s theatre program. Lewis produced Disney-Pixar’s “Ratatouilleâ€Â in 2007 for which he won an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Grammy. He will speak Oct. 9.
• “Film’s Digital Futureâ€Â by William Feightner, a 1971graduate. He is the executive vice president and technical director for EFILM in Hollywood, where he directs the research and development team. EFILM operates one of the world’s most advanced digital laboratories. Feightner’s lecture is Oct. 30.
• “Trends in Dynamic Media: American Idol or American Idleâ€Â by John Loiacono, a 1985 communication graduate. He is the general manger and senior vice president of the Creative Solutions Business Unit at Adobe Systems. On Jan. 27, Loiacono will discuss marketing trends that impact rich media and the trends driving the next wave of innovation with rich media.
• “So YOU wanna be a Broadcast Journalistâ€Â by Nancy Osborne, a 1976 graduate. Osborne, a reporter and news anchor for ABC30, will discuss the skills needed to succeed in her field during her lecture Feb. 10.

The College of Arts and Humanities Lecture Series is a public service provided to the Fresno State campus and regional community free of charge.

For more information, visit http://www.csufresno.edu/artshum/lecture_series/index.shtml.