The Forum maintains a tradition of being one of the longest continuous programs of its kind in the United States. The series has presented many of the leading personalities in the world since its creation in 1942.
President W.R. Davies was the prime mover in establishing The Forum within the first year of his administration, to express his vision of what the college might become as a cultural center. He transformed Eau Claire's after-dinner speakers club into a college-community partnership that selected an average of five speakers a year. Each Forum speaker would lecture for an hour, answer questions for half an hour, and then attend an informal reception. This has been the format of The Forum from its inception.
The Forum is made possible by student fees allocated by the UW-Eau Claire Student Senate. Each year's series is selected by an administrative committee composed of students, faculty-staff and community members.
