by Tonya Wells
ACCESS TO NATIONAL EXPERTS & PEOPLE OF INTEREST
The University Speakers Series doesn’t just seek to bring notable speakers to campus. Every opportunity is given to connect those experts with students. Columnist Fareed Zakaria met with students before his presentation for some discussion about education and politics. U.S. Soccer champ Carli Lloyd talked with the Redhawks Soccer team and hosted a skills camp for kids before speaking to students and the community. Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman talked with students with majors ranging from criminal justice to psychology to emergency preparedness. Dinners and receptions are frequently held, so students get one-onone time with the speakers when they are on campus.
In 2016, author and veteran Wes Moore kicks off the series with the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration Dinner. Common, the Academy Award-winning “king of conscious hip hop,” greets the campus community in February. And, Bethany Hamilton finishes this year’s series in April with the inspirational story of her faith, determination, health and hope after losing an arm in a shark attack while surfing.
Learn more about our upcoming speakers!
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My wife and, both SEMO graduates, will be traveling to Amman, Jordan, this September to work with Syrian and Iraqi refugee families which have fled the ravages of ISIS and wars in their native countries. Jordan is now ISIS’ newest primary target and has recently hit Jordan from within. The owner and CEO of Capital Broadcasting (Jim Goodmon) including WRAL-TV has made a donation to our host, the Collateral Repair Project in Amman – we will be meeting with John Conway, WRAL’s General Manager, concerning our transmitting stories to the station from Jordan to the station. We will be returning to the U.S. in early October, 2016 and will be in Missouri beginning Oct. 9th for my high school reunion at Chaffee High. We would love to be able to share our experiences with groups and classes at SEMO if at all possible. We would invite your assistance if possible. Thanks!