Maryville University’s St. Louis Speakers Series will feature another impressive lineup of politicians, authors and world leaders for its 15th season, 2012-2013. The series will open with former U.S. Ambassador to China and recent Republican presidential candidate, Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., followed by New York Times best-selling author Jeannette Walls; former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; 21st century warfare specialist, P.W. Singer; Erskine Bowles, co-chair of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility; former president of Mexico, Vicente Fox; and Andes Mountain crash survivor, Nando Parrado
The new season, which will open Oct. 1, 2012 at Powell Symphony Hall, was announced during this week’s presentation by retired U.S. Army General, Stanley McChrystal. This season has one final event on May 1, featuring legendary broadcast journalist Tom Brokaw.
“Our 15th season will give students, alumni and the St. Louis community a chance to hear and learn from brilliant leaders, authors and experts,” said Mark Lombardi, Ph.D., president of Maryville University. “Each speaker’s story will thrill, entertain and challenge you to see our world from another perspective. We hope you’ll join us this year and see why the Series has become one of our most treasured Maryville traditions.”
Speaking on Oct. 1, Jon Huntsman served as the 16th Governor of the State of Utah. He has held positions in the U.S. Government under four presidents and was appointed by President Barack Obama as the U.S. Ambassador to China in 2009. In addition, he also served as the Deputy United States Trade Representative and as U.S. Ambassador to Singapore. Most recently, he was a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.
Other speakers include:
* Oct. 23 – Author Jeanette Walls is best known for her memoir, “The Glass Castle,” in which she portrays her difficult childhood with a dysfunctional, nomadic family and her drive to overcome adversity. The novel remained a New York Times Best-Seller for three years and sold more than 2.5 million copies. A graduate of Barnard College, Walls began a career in journalism over 20 years ago and has written for New York Magazine and USA Today.
* Nov. 13– Condoleezza Rice served as Secretary of State during President George W. Bush’s second term, the second woman and first African American woman to hold the position. In addition, she was the first woman to serve as the National Security Advisor during President Bush’s first term. Rice has authored numerous books, including two recent best-sellers, “No Higher Honor: A Memoir of My Years in Washington” and “Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of My Family.” Rice is currently a professor of Political Science at Stanford University, where she served as Provost from 1993-1999.
* Jan. 22, 2013 – P.W. Singer has been named by CNN as a member of the “Next Generation of Newsmakers” and is one of the Smithsonian Institution’s top 100 “leading innovators in the nation.” He is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Singer is considered one of the world’s leading experts on changes in 21st century warfare and has served as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Defense and Federal Bureau of Investigation. His books, “Corporate Warriors,” “Children at War” and “Wired for War” have won numerous awards.
* Feb. 26, 2013 – Former White House Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton, Erskine Bowles also served as co-chair of the bi-partisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. In addition, Bowles is a former president of North Carolina University system and was appointed Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery in the United Nations following the devastating 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia.
* March 12, 2013 – Vicente Fox, who served as president of Mexico from 2000 through 2006, was the first president to be elected in that country from an opposing party since 1910. He also served as governor of his home state Guanajuato in the mid-1990’s. Fox began his career as a delivery truck driver before rising to become Coca-Cola Mexico’s president at one time.
* April 23, 2013 – In 1972, Nando Parrado miraculously survived a plane crash at 18,000 feet in the Andes Mountains on his way to an international rugby tournament. Parrado and 16 other members of his team survived in the Andes for 72 days and were rescued after a heroic, 10-day marathon trek led by Parrado. His story was told in the 1993 motion picture “Alive,” in which Parrado was portrayed by Ethan Hawke.
All of the presentations, with the exception of Huntsman’s, will begin at 8 p.m. on Tuesday nights at Powell Hall. (Huntsman is speaking Monday evening at 8 p.m.) Tickets are sold by series subscription only; prices range from $285 to $420 per person. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact the ticket office as soon as possible to order tickets. For more information, visit www.StLouisSpeakersSeries.org or call 314.534.1700.
Presented by Maryville University, the Series is sponsored by The Nine Network, the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, PNC Bank, Monsanto and St. Louis Public Radio - KWMU (90.7 FM).
Founded in 1872, Maryville University is an independent, private university located in St. Louis, Missouri. U.S. News and World Report ranks Maryville among the “Best National Universities” for 2012 and Maryville is ranked as one of the top values in education by both Forbes and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. Maryville University students may choose from 50 academic programs, including degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. For more information, visit www.maryville.edu.