In the broadest sense, rhetoric and rhetorical studies are primarily concerned with using language in context and, thus, must focus on the collaborative, negotiated dynamics of discourse and discourse production. These broad principles provided the basis for the "Lyceum Project" (named for the public forum first developed by the Greek Sophists in the fifth century B.C.), recently initiated and developed at Northern Arizona University (NAU). The project was underwritten by an instructional development grant providing funding for lecturers from various fields and professions to speak on the unique characteristics of their own specific discourse situations. The goal was to improve teaching and learning in both the English Composition and English Rhetoric programs at NAU, promoting classroom discussion and enriching students' understanding of course content in the context of real world situations. Among the 7 speakers recruited were the county pretrial services director, a local attorney, a psychotherapist working for a family help center, and the composition director at a major state university. Some speakers were better prepared for public discourse than others, yet student responses to the lectures were fairly similar in overall response to each presenter's credibility and effectiveness. The overall object was to be sure that the lecturers had sparked the students' critical interest. Guidelines have been developed for future lyceum projects. (Contains six references.) (CR)