The Distinguished Speaker Series (DSS) at UB has become a staple of the university and the community. Each year people all across Western New York surmise whom they think UB will bring to speak the following year.
After Wednesday's announcement, the wait is over.
Headlining the 25th anniversary of the series are popular actor and best-selling author Michael J. Fox, the creator of Family Guy Seth MacFarlane, and former CIA Director and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.
UB President Satish K. Tripathi is pleased with the array of voices selected this year. He specifically likes the way the series brings the academic and larger communities together, and how each individual that will speak provokes debate and dialogue.
"Over the years, this series has afforded our university and community a unique opportunity to engage with influential public figures representing a broad range of interests and points of view—from policy makers and public intellectuals to leading artists, journalists, and entertainers," Tripathi said. "We're proud to bring these voices to our stage, and we look forward to another season filled with new ideas, fresh perspectives, and challenging questions for us all to discuss and ponder throughout the year."
The DSS will kick off on Sept. 21 when Gates takes to the stage to discuss the past decade of war in the U.S. He spent 27 years in the CIA and holds a PhD in Russian and Soviet history from Georgetown University. He authored the book "From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five President's and How They Won The Cold War" (1996). He served as Defense Secretary under both George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
Fox is most widely known for his acting career – which included a starring role in the epic adventure trilogy, "Back to the Future" – but since being diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's disease in 1991, he has taken a new mission in life: to find a cure for the disease that has effected his way of life. He has won several humanitarian awards, raised more than $251 million for stem cell research via his foundation for Parkinson's research, and was one of Time Magazine's 100 people "whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world."
The final speaker in the series will be MacFarlane on April 28. His Emmy Award winning series' "Family Guy" and "The American Dad" are extremely popular. He is the Undergraduate Student Choice Speaker after being selected by the Undergraduate Student Association.
MacFarlane's first ever full-length feature film "Ted" is currently in production and is a story about a man and the special bond he has with his teddy bear.
SA President JoAnna Datz is very excited about the 2011-12 Series and believes the combination of talent is perfect for the 25th year of the DSS.
"This year's line up is a perfect blend to celebrate the past, present and future of our university," Datz said. "[SA is] proud to continue our support of the Distinguished Speakers Series.
The rest of the series will feature author Judy Shepard on Nov. 9, CNN correspondent Soledad O'Brien on Feb. 16, and former Ireland President Mary Robinson on March 29.
Series' subscriptions are available for purchase immediately, while tickets to individual speakers will not go on sale until later this month. All events start at 8 p.m. and take place in Alumni Arena except for those by O'Brien (Kleinhan's Music Hall) and Robinson (UB Center for the Arts).
Email: news@ubspectrum.com
