Now announced after the visit of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, journalist Anderson Cooper and environmentalist and former Vice President Al Gore headline the rest of the 2006-2007 UB Distinguished Speakers Series.
Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai, ocean explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau and screenwriter Nora Ephron round out the lineup of investigators and intellectuals.
Guests invited to speak this year are recognized nationally and internationally due to a "strong activism and passion around people, the environment, peace, and having people think of themselves as part of a global community rather than some part of it removed from the rest," according to Bill Regan, director of special events.
CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper will be featured as the next installment for the speaker series, taking the stage at the Alumni Arena on Nov. 11.
Cooper is best known for his hardcore reporting on Anderson Cooper 360o, including his 2005 coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its effects on America. He recently won two Emmys for outstanding live coverage of breaking news stories and outstanding feature story in a regularly scheduled newscast. Less memorable, but still popular, is his role as the host for celebrity reality show "The Mole."
The last speaker, and perhaps the most well known, will be former vice president and 2000 presidential candidate Al Gore. While popular for his work in the White House, Gore has recently resurfaced as a big name in cinema for turning his bestselling novel into a movie.
"An Inconvenient Truth," which addresses concerns with environmental issues, has drawn a lot of praise. Gore will be bringing the distinguished speaker series to a close in the Alumni Arena on April 27.
Students appeared to be enthusiastic for the upcoming guests.
"I feel that the size of UB and the affiliation with the state affords the school a better opportunity to obtain the speakers that it does," said Tom Harding, senior architecture major. "The variety that the school has offered in the past and continues to offer impresses me, and I fully intend on attending this year's series, as I have done in the past."
Other speakers this year will include names less familiar, but just as notable in their field of work.
Wangari Maathai, who will be speaking Feb. 2, is a 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate and Green Belt Movement founder. She is an active supporter for environmental conservation and the betterment of Africa. Maathai is also an advocate for democracy.
The series also includes Jean-Michel Cousteau, an ocean explorer and active environmentalist, speaking in March. Cousteau, who is the graduate student choice speaker, is mostly known for his 2006 PBS documentary "Ocean Adventures."
For some students, the series' variety is a refreshing change.
"I'd go, I think it would be really interesting to see someone different," said Mark Umstead, a sophomore MBA major. "Generally it is a politician, writer or comedian, so it would be nice to hear something from a different field."
The end of March brings Nora Ephron to UB. Ephron, an author, director, and screenwriter, was the genius behind movies "When Harry Met Sally," and "Sleepless in Seattle," both of which received Oscar nominations.
Ephron is also known for her book "Heartburn," a novel about her divorce from Washington Post reporter Carl Bernstein, who is best known for his reporting of the 1970's Watergate scandal.
With both the Student Association and the Graduate Student Association helping fund the series, free tickets will be made easily available to the student body of UB, Regan emphasized.
"The series is designed to enhance student life and development," Regan said. "Naturally, it has also developed into a prominent community program due to its unique educational and entertainment qualities."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
