Dixie State University invites students and community to Dixie Forum, a weekly lecture series, to hear from Jason Johnstone-Yellin, instructor of philosophy and co-founder of the Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society and Single Cask Nation.

Johnstone-Yellin’s presentation, titled, “Philosophy in the Age of Science and Capitalism,” will share insights from Johnstone-Yellin’s experience as a philosopher, educator and entrepreneur and explore how philosophy students in the 21st century can pursue their intellectual strengths and become valuable to all academic disciplines. The forum will be held on March 28, from noon to 12:50 p.m., in the Dunford Auditorium on DSU campus.

Johnstone-Yellin worked at The Writing Program at Washington State University and later taught philosophy courses at the University of Idaho while establishing the Single Malt Whisky Society of the Palouse. When his wife, Tamara, accepted a teaching position in biology at Bridgewater College in Virginia, the two moved, and he continued to teach philosophy and created a whisky blog.

His blogging eventually led to strong connections in the whisky world, and he joined with Joshua Hatton and Seth Klaskin to found the Jewish Single Malt Whisky Society and Single Cask Nation. Through both companies, Johnsonstone-Yellin, Hatton and Klaskin, conduct national whisky tastings and distribute their own bottlings for whisky connoisseurs. Johnsonstone-Yellin’s life’s work has been a testament to finding success through following one’s passion in the educational arena.

Dixie Forum is a weekly lecture series designed to introduce the St. George community and DSU students, faculty and staff to diverse ideas and personalities while widening their worldviews via a 50-minute presentation. Dixie Forum will continue at noon on Tuesday, April 4, in the Dunford Auditorium with a presentation from singer, songwriter and educator Bernice Lewis.

For more information on Dixie State University’s Dixie Forum series, contact Forum Coordinator John Burns at 435-879-4712 or burns@utahtech.edu or visit humanities.utahtech.edu/the-dixie-forum.