Events

SMC's Academic Speaker Series

Academic Speaker Series: Understanding Serial Murder

November 13, 2025

6 p.m.

Theatre in the Student Activity Center, Dowagiac Campus

Understanding Serial Murder: Theory, Research, and Practice
What makes a serial killer? Come to the next installment of our Academic Speaker Series and hear from someone who literally wrote a book on the subject—Dr. Don Ricker, professor of criminal justice. Spoiler alert: He's going to kill this public talk, you don't want to miss it.

In this talk, Dr. Ricker will explore

  • what motivates serial killers,
  • how researchers study them, and
  • how this knowledge is used in real-world investigations. 

He will also cover key theories, case studies, and insights from psychology and criminal justice.