The 2012 Great Conversation was on March 28, 2012, at the Houston Country Club.

Our sincere thanks to the following underwriters of the 2012 Great Conversation:

Platinum Scholars

Jane and Robert Cizik

The Fred & Mabel R. Parks Foundation
Main Street Capital
Matthew and Tamara Steele

Gold Scholars

Ed and Michelle Noack

Jeff Dodd and Susan Ohsfeldt
Waste Connections of Texas/Benson Henry

Mentors

Lynne and Bill Bonham and Catherine Campbell Brock and Dr. Gary Brock
Tom and Fran Callahan and M. Truman and Rebecca Arnold
Kim and Michael Gapinski
Steven Hecht and Deborah Brochstein
John P. McGovern Foundation

Karen and Andrew Webster

Philosophers

Briana J. Bassler, Ray Hafner, and Kathie Bassler
Rev. Kylyn Taylor and Mrs. Connie Simmons Taylor

Explorers

Gerald and Olga Balboa
Sara and Mark Bettencourt and Steve and Vicki Smith
David Brinkley
Tim and Michelle Brown
Sandra and M.H."Butch" Cersonsky
Mary Jo and Richard Coselli and Moye and Shirley Wicks
Deloitte
Christopher Dodd and Alejandro Capetillo
Craig and Tammi Enochs and Randel Young and Patricia White
Mrs. Harriett S. Goodman and Mrs. Sara E. White
Tim Headley
Clay Hoster

Will and Janet Marlow
Laura and Brad McWilliams and Susan Heuer
Carl Moerer
Northern Trust Bank
Carroll and Hugh Ray

Lillie Robertson
Parker School Uniforms
Jackson Walker L.L.P.
WEDGE Group Incorporated

Friends

Ann and Bob Baillio
Hanskarl and Beth Borck
Bud Light/ Silver Eagle Distributors
N. Clegg
Martin and Kelli Cohen Fein
Martin and Terry Cominsky
Steve Ding
Tommy and Elaine Ebner

Roderick Echols and Andrea C. Lewis-Echols
Sybil and Ted Estess
Delaine J. Foss
Raymond T. Garcia
Sean Gorman
Terry Hallmark
Michael W. Harlan
Barbara and Ernest Henley
Anne Lamkin Kinder
Michael Lore
Jocelyn Marek
Mary Hale Lovett McLean
Helen Marie and Bill Monroe
Ralph S. O’Connor
Kevin O’Gorman and Susan Hardwick-Smith, M.D.
Todd and Lanette Ramey
Beth Robertson
Deborah and Herbert Rothschild Jr.
Brenda Shroeder and Rob Johnson
Carey C. Shuart
Rita Sirrieh
Larry Ting
Isabel B. and Wallace S. Wilson
Trey and Kimberly Wilkinson

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.