The University Board hosted “The Last Lecture Series,” for five Eastern professors as though this was their last lecture.

The lecturers included John McInerney, a kinesiology and sport studies professor, Lisa Taylor, a family and consumer sciences professor, Dave Arseneau, a business professor, Charles Eberly, counseling and student development professor, and Janice Collins, a journalism professor.

McInerney’s lecture was titled Say Your Lines. He began by reading a poem named He Said His Lines.

“Life is what matters,” McInerney said, a motto he learned from his family.

He spoke about how he had spent a lot of time recollecting different thoughts about people in his life that had meant a lot to him, as well as elaborating more about himself in order to explain how his experiences have shaped him.

McInerney also mentioned how much of an impact Dr. Tom Woodall had on him when he was in cross country.

“Take some time to slow it down. Think about the people who’ve had an impact on your life and take some time to let them know it,” McInerney said.

Taylor spoke next, her lecture labeled How Will They Hear, When Will They Learn, How Will They Know? The lecture was based around her past experience with sexual abuse.

She began with her dreams as a child, but the dreams were never really fulfilled. After she had married her current husband, she felt like she could find out what she felt was wrong with her.

“I was at a point where I could think about what I stuffed away,” Taylor said.

It was around that time that she started having panic attacks and sought therapy, where the therapist really probed at familial questions. Taylor said she was at an incest survivor meeting when she found a book that helped her to cope with her problems.

“I literally believe that book saved my life,” Taylor said. Her belief is that talking about situations like that help the healing process move along.

Arseneau’s lecture was labeled Success Concepts, and his lecture followed closely to a book titled How to Make One Hell of a Profit and Still Get to Heaven.

“You have been taught innately that money is evil,” Arseneau began, explaining that the book is on how to make spiritual and material wealth. The book hit a lot of other points, such as you need to prove yourself in order to be somebody and that you need to remember and achieve your dreams.

“Life is incremental,” Arseneau said. He mentioned that one should take life incrementally so that it’s easier.

His overall lecture was about how you are the only one who can dictate your life and the successes it brings.

“Life is too short to limit yourself to mediocrity and the unfulfillment of dreams,” Arseneau concluded.

The next lecture was given by Eberly named Ride the Ferryboat on the Top Deck. His lecture’s title is named through a metaphor he gave that there are some people on a ferryboat that will ride on the top deck or below the deck. Those who ride on the top are most rewarded.

He spoke mainly about his beliefs.

“If you believe, no amount of argument will change your mind,” Eberly said.

He said that one must work in order to be successful, and that you should not try.

Eberly said he believed that “to try” always implied failure. Eberly went on to say that the faculty should be outside the classroom with the students where they can help them more.

“If I have a job or a dream, it’s to make a difference in students’ lives,” said Eberly, explaining he believes that serving is the most important part of his life.

The final lecturer was Collins, whose lecture was labeled Creating Your Own Leadership Legacy. In this, she recounted several anecdotes that shaped the way she is now.

She said that leaders have six qualities-compassion, character, courage, bravery, belief, and change-and then related those to her experiences.

Her stories ranged from being brave to save her brother from drowning, to dealing with little league teams, and to showing compassion for a boy who was constantly beat up.

“If you’re popular and in a leadership role, you have an obligation to step in,” Collins said.

She mentioned a college experience where a professor tore apart one of her writings, even though she had taken pride in her writing, but that experience made her stronger.

Collins left the auditorium hoping that everyone would accept challenges with courage and not to forget who helped them along the way.

“I challenge you to be the leader I already know you are,” Collins said.

Jacob Swanson can be reached at 581-2812 or jjswanson@eiu.edu