Bolmarcich Memorial Lecture Series
Promoting a positive disability culture at ASU.
About the Series
The Lawrence J. and Virginia Devlin Bolmarcich Memorial Lecture strives to promote a positive, more inclusive disability culture at ASU, in fulfillment of the ASU charter.
2025 Bolmarcich Memorial Lecture: Eric Garcia
Thursday, November 6, 2025
Eric Garcia was the 2025 speaker for the Lawrence J. and Virginia Devlin Bolmarcich Memorial Lecture Series. He is an internationally recognized journalist who speaks on issues of accessibility for autistic people and will present research and experiences related to his book We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation.
Drawing upon his own experiences as an autistic man, his book challenges pervasive myths and reframes the conversation around autism from one of misunderstanding to acceptance. In doing so, Garcia gives his community a platform to articulate their own needs, rather than having others speak for them, which has been the standard for far too long.
Before he visited ASU, our Communications Team spoke with Garcia about his book, changes since its 2021 publication and why storytelling matters. Read the full interview.
The Inaugural Bolmarcich Memorial Lecture
Monday, October 28, 2024
The Lincoln Center was thrilled to announce Brenda Brueggemann, a pioneer in the new field of Disability Studies, as the guest of honor for the Inaugural Lawrence J. and Virginia Devlin Bolmarcich Memorial Lecture.
About Lawrence J. and Virginia Devlin Bolmarcich
Lawrence was a second-generation American and first-generation college student, earning his bachelor’s degree from Drexel University in 1967 and a master’s degree from St. Joseph’s University in 1974. He served as a civil engineer for the United States Army and then the U.S. Navy. He passed away in 1997.
Virginia was from generations of Irish Americans in Philadelphia and was the first to attend college at the University of Pennsylvania College for Women. She later attended medical school and held a successful career as a diagnostic radiologist.