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Distinguished speaker series

The 2005-06 series is presented by the Office of Student Activities to enhance the cultural and political make-up of the University and surrounding community. Tickets for all Speaker Series events are $10 each. Seating is general admission, but reservations are recommended.

Catherine Crier
Tuesday, September 27
7:00 p.m.

As the host of Court TV's Catherine Crier Live, Crier offers insightful commentary and analysis with the nation's principal law-makers and influential professionals on "front-page" topical legal news stories and current issues. Crier is also author of The Case Against Lawyers: How the Lawyers, Politicians, and Bureaucrats Have Turned the Law into an Instrument of Tyranny. Her latest book is A Deadly Game (March, 2005). Previously, she was the host of The Crier Report, on the FOX network, a news correspondent for ABC's World News Tonight and 20/20 and news anchor for CNN. Before her meteoric rise in broadcasting, she became the youngest elected state judge in Texas history when she took the bench in 1984.

 

Nicholas Sparks
Monday, October 17
7:00 p.m.

Author of The Notebook, Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road (2001), and Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003), The Wedding (2003), Three Weeks with my Brother (April 2004) and his newest work, True Believer (April 2005) all with Warner Books. Perhaps Sparks should consider producing an autobiography of his astounding life which includes tragedy (the loss of his mother to a horse accident at the age of 47, his dad to an automobile accident at the age of 54 and his sister at the age of 33 to cancer); triumph (high school valedictorian, collegiate school record holder in track at Notre Dame, millionaire author), love (his first purchase after his first million dollar book settlement was a new wedding ring for his wife followed a proposal to renew their vows). Sparks promises to be an intriguing addition to the series.

 

Tavis Smiley
Saturday, February 11
7:00 p.m.

Time selected activist and multi-media star Smiley as one of America's 50 most promising young leaders. Newsweek profiled him as one of the "20 people changing how Americans get their news" and dubbed him one of the nation's "captains of the airwaves." With his late night television talk show, Tavis Smiley on PBS, and his radio show The Tavis Smiley Show from NPR, Smiley was the first American ever to simultaneously host signature talk shows on both PBS and National Public Radio. Smiley's television show continues now in its second season, and Smiley just returned The Tavis Smiley Show to public radio in association with Public Radio International, PRI. Smiley, who started his career as an aide to the late Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley, also offers political commentary twice weekly on the Tom Joyner Morning Show. In addition, he has authored eight books and has his own imprint (Smiley Books) with Hay House. The Philadelphia Inquirer says Smiley is "one of the most important political voices of his generation."

 

Roy Firestone
Tuesday, March 28
7:00 p.m.

The winner of sixEmmy Awards and two CableAce awards, Firestone has interviewed over 5,000 public figures, including nearly every major sports figure today, and has appeared on numerous television shows including Late Night with David Letterman, The Simpsons and Everybody Loves Raymond. Firestone can also be seen on Fox's Beyond the Glory, and Face to Face with Roy Firestone on HDNet. His interviews with noted sports celebrities are frequently rebroadcast on ESPN Classic. Through song, multimedia presentation, and compelling stories drawn from the lives of the popular figures he's covered, Firestone provides audiences with "motivetainment" - showing them how to achieve success and keep pushing forward to reach their own goals, while
keeping them uplifted and entertained.

 

 

Updated: Monday, June 12, 2006

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Past Series
  • 2005-06
  • 2004-05
  • 2003-04
  • 2002-03
  • 2001-02
  • The 2000-01 series included Oliver North, Deborah Norville, Bruce Jenner, Julian Bond and James Carville.
 
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