Ann Atkinson, the former executive director of the T. W. Lewis Center for Personal Development at Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University (ASU), joined the Grand Canyon Times podcast to discuss her firing from ASU and the battle for freedom of speech at the university.Atkinson is also an entrepreneur, healthcare real estate investor, educator, former public company executive, wife, mother, and triathlete. Introduction: Leyla Gulen introduces Ann Atkinson as an entrepreneur, educator, and former executive director of the T. W. Lewis Center for Personal Development at Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University. Atkinson's Dismissal from ASU: Atkinson said she was fired from her position at ASU after she organized a “Health, Wealth and Happiness” event this past February. The event featured a number of conservative speakers, including talk show hosts Dennis Prager and Charlie Kirk, and financial author Robert Kioysaki. Atkinson said that after the speakers were announced, 39 of 47 Barrett sent a letter to the dean condemning the event as promoting “white supremacy” and discouraged students from attending. Tom Lewis's Involvement: Tom Lewis, a significant donor to the university and the namesake of the T. W. Lewis Center, was supportive of the event and its speakers. Following the event and the backlash, Tom Lewis decided to cancel his funding agreement with the university due to disappointment with the faculty's response and the new dean's leadership. Ann's Reflection on ASU: Ann reflects on her time at ASU and her reasons for choosing the university for her degree.
