been held annually since 1939. The Principia College Speaker Series is a group of past, present, and future events that has featured United States President Barack Obama, American statesmen and retired four-star general Colin Powell, former United States president George H. W. Bush, former United States president Jimmy Carter, American author and poet Maya Angelou, David McCullough, Elie Wiesel, American actor and director Robert Duvall, Val Kilmer, Coretta Scott King, and Margaret Thatcher among others. In addition to the Public Affairs Conference Principia College holds an International Perspectives Conference with a focus on global issues such as human rights in Africa. Technology Of the technological programs present at Principia College, most prevalent and distinguished is its study in solar energy. The college has competed in solar car world events since 1995 and finished second in the North American Solar Challenge of 2008 and seventh in the World Solar Challenge of 2009. Athletics Principia College teams participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC). The Principia Panther is the official mascot of Principia College and has been since its change from the Indian in 1984. There are sixteen varsity athletic teams at Principia College of which men's sports are baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and rugby; and women's sports include basketball, cross country, beach volleyball, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field and volleyball. In 1983, the women's tennis team won the NCAA Division III national championship. In 2013, the men's rugby team won the first ever Open Division USA Rugby 7s Collegiate National Championship, beating the University of Wisconsin-Stout 27-12 in the championship match. In 2022, the men's rugby team completed an undefeated season by winning the Division II National Collegiate Rugby Championship XVs title, defeating Indiana University of Pennsylvania 47–16 in the championship match. Notable alumni Robert Bruegmann — architectural historian Chandler Burr — author Ian Ethan Case — guitarist Ron Charles (B.A. 1984) — Washington Post book critic Candy Crowley (attended) — CNN political correspondent Robert Duvall (B.A. 1953) — actor: Academy Award for Best Actor winner (1983, Tender Mercies) Haru M. Reischauer — author of Samurai and Silk. Emily Fridlund — author of History of Wolves Ketti Frings — author, writer: Pulitzer Prize for Drama winner (1958, Look Homeward, Angel) Lindsay Garritson — concert pianist and