Shear Colbert Symposium

Welcome to the Shear Colbert Symposium website. Dr. Tom Colbert, a history professor at Marshalltown Community College from 1981-2014, created the Symposium in 1984 with memorial funds from his predecessor, George Shear, who was on the faculty from 1966-1980. Tom discovered that George was interested in railroads, Russia, and the CIA, and those became the subjects of the first 3 symposia.

Tom kept the tradition going for his entire career and even into his retirement with topics from history, science, religion, education, and current events.

Tom was a life-long scholar, fed by his curiosity for knowledge and interest in discourse, debate, and story-telling.  Those of us who knew George and Tom regard the Shear Colbert Symposium as a memorial to the professional lives of these two MCC faculty members.

Our upcoming Symposium on Housing, Homelessness, and Stability in Iowa is April 15, 2026 from 9:30 to Noon with a keynote lecture by Drake professor, Dr. Elizabeth Talbert and a panel from Marshalltown's Homelessness Task Force.  

P.J. Colbert and Nancy Adams,

Marshalltown Community College Faculty