The 2013 Great Conversation was held March 27, 2013 at the Houston Country Club.

For more information, contact Peter Hyland at 713.743.3220 or pbhyland@central.uh.edu.

Our sincere thanks to these 2013 Great Conversation underwriters:

Platinum Scholars

Jane and Robert Cizik
Matthew and Tamara Steele

Diamond Scholars

Anonymous
Main Street Capital Corporation 

Gold Scholars

Truman and Becky Arnold and Tom and Fran Callahan
S. Tyler Crabtree
Jeff Dodd and Susan Ohsfeldt
Ed and Michelle Noack
Waste Connections, Inc. 

Mentors

Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
Catherine Campbell Brock and Dr. Gary Brock and
Bill and Lynne Campbell Bonham
Eilish Jones DeJager
Tim Headley
John P. McGovern Foundation
Mark Monroe
Jeff and Julie Muffat
Susan and Vikram Rao
Carroll Robertson Ray and Lillie Robertson
John and Judy Steele
URSA Resources Group II LLC
Karen and Andrew Webster
Wells Fargo Energy Group 

Philosophers

Kathie Bassler, Briana Bassler, and Ray Hafner
Tim and Michelle Brown
Steven Hecht and Deborah Brochstein
Clay Hoster
John and Julie King
Sara E. White and Harriett S. Goodman

Explorers

Sara and Mark Bettencourt and Steve and Vicki Smith
Centerpoint Energy 
Sandra and M.H. "Butch" Cersonsky
Evercore Partners
Chuck and Janna Gremillion
Carl Moerer
Morgan Stanley Commodities
Parker School Uniforms
Lani and Bill Ramsey
Faisal and Roberta Shah
Kimberly and Charles Yates

Friends 

Steve Bonario
Hanskarl and Beth Borck
Bud Light/Silver Eagle Distributors
Nicola J. Clegg
Tommy and Elaine Ebner
Roderick Echols and Andrea C. Lewis-Echols
Craig and Tammi Enochs
Delaine Foss and Don Traywick
Robert and Vivian Gabel
Kim and Michael Gapinski
Raymond T. Garcia
John and Amanda Gayle
Sean Gorman
Paul D. Grossbard
Barbara and Ernest Henley
Anne Lamkin Kinder
Helen Marie and Bill Monroe
Danielle Muffat
Nehal Rahim
Beth Robertson
Regina Rogers
Dr. Deborah Selden and Bruce Penny
Catherine and Brad Suddarth
Rev. Kylyn Taylor and Mrs. Connie Simmons Taylor
Trey and Kimberly Wilkinson
Amber Winsor 

About The Great Conversation

Each year, more than 275 individuals come together to support the Honors College by participating in our award-winning fundraising event, The Great Conversation. Proceeds from The Great Conversation, the college's primary fundraising event, provide Honors College scholarships and special support to Honors faculty and programs.

The Great Conversation draws its name from, and embodies the overarching goals of, the Honors College: to foster thoughtfulness about and care for the world by engaging people in disciplined conversation about things that matter. Event topics are drawn from many areas of life, from arts and literature, history, religion, and public policy, to aspects of the city of Houston, just to name a few.

The event format allows all guests to be active participants. The evening begins with a reception and continues with a multi-course dinner paired with fine wine selections. During the meal, guests discuss a topic that has been predetermined for their table facilitated by a University of Houston faculty member or other expert. Guests are encouraged to indicate on their response card their preference for topics. On most occasions, guests can be accommodated at a table offering one of their top three conversation preferences.

In 1994, the Houston Chapter of the Assocation of Fundraising Professionals selected The Great Conversation as the Outstanding Fundraising Program Special Event.