Eric Schultz’s political career began with a series of small, seemingly anonymous steps: planning Washington University’s Residential College Olympics, answering phones in the office of an unknown freshman U.S. senator and following around a campaign opponent, as a self-described “18-year-old punk.”

This semester’s Assembly Series will highlight topics ranging from queer theory to urban equality to campaign strategy. The Assembly Series, which runs from from February 4 through April 15, has been bringing leaders and experts from various fields to Washington University since 1953.