The nun-activist whose work and writings inspired the film “Dead Man Walking,” the CEO of Ford and the inventor of a hug machine are among the speakers planning to visit the University of Michigan campus this school year.

Sister Helen Prejean wrote "Dead Man Walking" based on her experiences with a death row inmate in Louisiana. She'll deliver a lecture at U-M on Dec. 2 as part of a theme semester "What makes life worth living?"

Photo courtesy of prejean.org

Lectures like these aren’t just for students.

The new school year brings with it dozens of speaking engagements hosted by U-M that are open to the community at large.

Adding to the annual mix of speakers: the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps. A 2 a.m. Oct. 14 ceremony on the steps of the Michigan Union is timed to mark precisely the 50-year anniversary of then-Sen. John F. Kennedy’s U-M speech that sparked the creation of the service organization. There will be another commemorative engagement at 11 a.m. Oct. 14 for those less inclined to visit campus in the wee hours.

Yet to be seen: Who will follow President Barack Obama as a spring commencement speaker? That isn’t yet clear, and officials will likely keep a lid on those details for a few months. U-M announced Obama's May presidential visit in February.

Here’s a look at a few of the speakers making their way to Ann Arbor.

Temple Grandin, inventor, author and activist 5:10 p.m. Sept. 9, Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. On Sunday, Grandin won an Emmy for the HBO film based on her life. That may have thrust her into the mainstream, but animal lovers have considered her a hero for decades. Grandin, a Doctor of Animal Science and professor at Colorado State University, is an inventor, best-selling author, and livestock industry consultant. Half the cattle in North America are handled by a system she designed to reduce stress on livestock. Grandin also has high-functioning form of autism; her work in autism advocacy is widely noted, and she invented a hug machine meant to calm hypersensitive persons.

Alan Mulally, Ford CEO 2 p.m. Sept. 17, Stamps Auditorium in the Walgreen Drama Center, 1226 Murfin Ave. In 2009, Time Magazine named Mulally among “The World’s Most Influential People” for his contributions to industry leadership. He’s stopping by U-M as a James R. Mellow lecturer. The talk meant to showcase individuals whose leadership has contributed to the public good.

Zell Visiting Writers series starts Sept. 30 For this series, the University of Michigan Department of English has a steady stream of notable writers on campus all school year for free engagements, most of them at 5:10 p.m. at the Helmut Stern Auditorium on the ground floor of the U-M Museum of Art, 525 South State St. The first is short story writer Danielle Evans Sept. 30. For a full schedule: http://www.lsa.umich.edu/english/grad/mfa/mfaeve.asp

Celebration of the Peace Corps 50th Anniversary 2 a.m. and 11 a.m., Oct. 14, Michigan Union The 2 a.m. ceremony is timed to pay tribute to Kennedy’s remarks on the steps of the Michigan Union that sparked the creation of the Peace Corps. Alan Guskin, a student leader in 1960 involved in the creation of the service organization, and others will speak and perform. U-M and Peace Corps officials, including the director of the organization, will stop by the 11 a.m. ceremony. More celebratory events are scheduled. For more information, visit http://peacecorps.umich.edu/

Robin Givhan, The Washington Post's fashion editor, won a Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 2006. The University of Michigan graduate will return to Ann Arbor to speak Oct. 28.

Photo courtesy of University of Michigan

Robin Givhan, Pulitzer Prize winner and fashion editor at The Washington Post 7:30 p.m., Oct. 28, University of Michigan Museum of Art, Stern Auditorium, Detroit native Robin Givhan won a Pulitzer Prize in criticism after penning fashion coverage for The Washington Post. This fall, she’lls stop by Ann Arbor to deliver a lecture called “The Washington Catwalk.” Givhan, now a fashion editor at the Post, earned a master’s in journalism from U-M. Her most recent book is "Michelle: Her First Year as First Lady."

Helen Prejean, Roman Catholic nun and activist 7 p.m. Dec. 2, Ross School of Business Blau Auditorium, 701 Tappan Ave. What makes life worth living? The U-M College of Literature, Science and the Arts picked that question for its annual theme semester. Prejean, the Roman Catholic nun and anti-death penalty activist who wrote “Dead Man Walking” will shed some light on that question when she visits campus. A number of events are scheduled for the theme semester, for more, visit http://wmlwl.com/.

Juliana Keeping is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at julianakeeping@annarbor.com or 734-623-2528.