Gilbert Grosvenor, chairman of the National Geographic Society board of trustees, will speak at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 9 in McCrary Theatre, located in the Faith Rockefeller Model Center for the Arts on the Elon University campus. Grosvenor’s presentation is free and open to the public.
In the 1950s, Grosvenor joined the staff of the National Geographic Society, the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization of its kind, as a picture editor. He served as editor of National Geographic magazine from 1970 to 1980 and has served as president of the National Geographic Society.
Grosvenor has been a staunch advocate of geographic education and its importance in the nation’s schools. In 1975, he created National Geographic World, a monthly magazine for children. In 1985, he launched an effort to improve geography instruction nationwide with the Society’s Geography Education Outreach division. In the past 16 years, more than $110 million has been invested in that effort.
During his tenure as president, Grosvenor broadened the Society’s reach, launching the annual National Geography Bee, the National Geographic Traveler magazine, and the National Geographic Explorer television program. A network of alliances was established in each state to encourage all school districts to restore geography to their curricula so students could better understand their world. Finally, the National Geographic Society Education Foundation was created to support teacher training, curriculum reform and innovative instruction.