Rainn Wilson announced as MSU Public Affairs Conference keynote speaker

Rainn Wilson, an award-winning actor known to millions as Dwight Schrute on NBC’s “The Office,” will be the opening keynote speaker for Missouri State University’s 2026 Public Affairs Conference.

The Sept. 29 event on campus is free and open to the public.

MSU has not yet released the full schedule for the four-day conference, which concludes Oct. 2. Wilson’s participation was announced May 29 on social media to coincide with opening registration for a VIP experience with Wilson to be held prior to the free talk.

The pre-event experience is 5-7 p.m. Sept. 29 at The Old Glass Place, 521 E. St. Louis St., and includes a photo opportunity with Wilson, an autographed copy of his book “Soul Boom: Why We Need A Spiritual Revolution” and reserved seating during the campus event that follows. The cost is $150.

The theme for the 2026 conference is “The We Factor: Building Connections That Matter.”

“Rainn will offer a thoughtful and engaging perspective on the role community plays in helping people find connection and meaning,” said Brent Dunn, MSU Foundation president and CEO, in a news release.

Wilson is an actor, producer, author and a founder of the digital media company SoulPancake, which among other things is dedicated to figuring out what it means to be human.

In addition to “The Office,” Wilson performed in the 2023 series “Lessons In Chemistry” for Apple TV+, and his unscripted travel series appeared on Peacock in 2023. He has starred in “Jerry & Marge Go Large,” “Blackbird,” “The Meg,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “Juno” and “Almost Famous,” among other TV shows and movies.

He is also the author of “The Bassoon King” and the New York Times best-selling “SoulPancake: Chew on Life’s Big Questions,” and he hosts a podcast, Soul Boom.