Samford University will host the biennial meeting of the National Conference of Governor's Schools (NCoGS) Oct. 12-15. Governor's School leaders from 14 states are expected to attend.

Stephanie Tolan, author of Is It a Cheetah? and Flight of the Raven, will give the keynote address on Monday morning (OCT. 14). A specialist on parenting and educating the exceptionally gifted child, Tolan will discuss how to enable humanity's brightest minds to deal with a changing world.

Major themes of the conference will also deal with diversity and best practices that work well for programs in various states. Events include a visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, where its president emerita, Odessa Woolfolk, will discuss diversity in education.

About 100 "governor's schools" in 28 states offer a summer program for gifted and talented youths of high school age. The Alabama Governor's School was founded at Samford in 1987. Each summer, about 90 rising high school seniors from throughout the state enjoy the two-week program of academic, creative and leadership experiences in Birmingham.

Daniel L. Hocutt, an adjunct faculty member at the University of Richmond and former director of the Virginia Governor's School, is president of NCoGS.