UB has confirmed it will welcome President Barack Obama next Thursday, Aug. 22, to kick off his two-day tour of upstate New York and Pennsylvania next week. In an email sent to all students this morning, UB President Satish Tripathi officially announced confirmation of Obama's visit after rumors had surfaced Thursday evening.
Though the details of the time, location and content of the president's address are still unknown, the White House is expected to release more information early next week. UB Communications said Obama's team is considering Alumni Arena's main gym, the Edward L. Wright Practice Facility (known as the 'triple gym') and the Center For the Arts. The availability of tickets for this event is also not yet known.
"The president's visit to UB will be a historic occasion for our university and our community, and it is a great honor for UB to provide this forum for the president to address issues important to our nation," Tripathi said in the email. "Fostering a public space for discussing pressing societal issues is vital to our mission as a leading research university focused on advancing the greater public good. Hosting such a timely and meaningful conversation here at UB is a tremendous opportunity, and one that is sure to be an unforgettable experience for our university and our community."
Obama's stay will be the first time a sitting president has visited UB since 1853, when Millard Fillmore, who co-founded the university, came. Obama will be the sixth U.S. president to speak at UB.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
