Fall 2026 Symposium

Our Fall Symposium will be held Saturday, October 24, 2026 at the Masonic Village at Elizabethtown in the Deike Auditorium. It will also be livestreamed..

Speaker Information

Roger S. VanGorden

Speaking on “If Thomas Smith Webb Had a Chatbot: Speculative MasonryMeets Artificial Intelligence”

Most Worshipful Brother Roger S. VanGorden is a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Indiana, serving as Grand Master in 2002-2003. A Master Mason since 1981, he has devoted more than four decades to the service of the Craft, holding numerous leadership positions in the Grand Lodge. He has also served on many of Indiana’s most important Grand Lodge committees, including more than twenty years on the Committee on Jurisprudence, where he currently serves as Chairman. He previously served as Editor of The Indiana Freemason magazine and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Indiana Masonic Home.

Brother VanGorden’s influence extends far beyond his home jurisdiction. In 2023, he was installed as an Active Member of the Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Northern Masonic Jurisdiction. He is also a Past President of the Masonic Renewal Committee of the Conference of Grand Masters of Masons in North America and continues to play a leading role in promoting membership development, leadership, and best practices throughout the fraternity.

Widely respected as a Masonic educator, Brother VanGorden is a sought-after speaker whose presentations combine a deep appreciation for Masonic history with practical insights into the future of the fraternity.

R. Stephen Doan

Speaking on “Exploring William Preston’s Illustrations of Masonry”

R. Stephen Doan earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1971, graduating summa cum laude with highest departmental honors. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and received his Juris Doctor from the UCLA School of Law in 1974.

A member of the State Bar of California since 1974, he is active in its Taxation and Probate and Estate Planning Sections. Beyond his distinguished legal career, Steve has devoted countless hours to community service, serving as Chairman of the Board of the Midnight Mission on Skid Row, President of the Youth Fund of Southern California, President of the Boys & Girls Club of Venice, and as a vestry member of his church.

Most Worshipful Brother Doan served as Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in California in 1992-1993, assuming that office at the remarkable age of just 39. In the years since, he has earned an international reputation as one of Freemasonry’s foremost scholars and jurists. He has authored or substantially revised the constitutions and codes of numerous Masonic organizations, and his expertise in Masonic jurisprudence has made him one of the most respected authorities in the Craft today.

Upcoming Academy Dates

Saturday, October 24, 2026
Saturday, March 20, 2027
Saturday, October 23, 2027
Saturday, March 18, 2028