By the looks of it, the event is bound to be a big deal — yet no one (that we can get a hold of, at least) seems to know what will actually happen at it.
The first female secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, is giving a talk at FAU about “economy and security in the 21st century.” What about it? That’s the thing. No one has been able to answer to that question. Her essays are featured in Emerging: Contemporary Readings for Writers, the mandatory ENC 1101 and 1102 textbook at FAU, compiled by FAU English professor, Barclay Barrios. The event is on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at 3:30 p.m. in the Kaye Auditorium on the Boca campus.
According to the press release, a book signing will follow Albright’s lecture. She is the author of four New York Times best sellers: Madam Secretary (2001), Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs (2007), Memo to the President: How We Can Restore America’s Reputation and Leadership (2008), and Read My Pins: Stories from a Diplomats Jewel Box (2009).
It’s the first time Albright visits FAU, and different media outlets seem to be hyping it up. FAU released a press release about it, Boca News Now posted it on their site, and the Miami Herald included the lecture in its events calendar. These websites list the time and place of the event, but no one, as of press time, has been able to give any details on what Albright will actually talk about in her lecture.
Dr. Steven Engle, the history professor who organizes events hosted by the Alan B. Larkin Symposium on the American Presidency, said he couldn’t provide more info than what’s already available online.
“I would be hard pressed to say what she will be lecturing about,” he said in an email. “I encouraged her staff to engage the audience with a discussion of the relationship between the economy and security in the 21st century. It should relate directly to the current climate of political, diplomatic, and economic concerns for a global market.”
Engaging enough.
OK, so the details might be a bit vague, but Albright’s credentials could be enough to attract a big audience anyway. When Bill Clinton appointed her secretary of state in 1997, she became, at the time, the highest ranking female in the history of the U.S.
Tickets are free for students who present their student IDs. For faculty and staff, tickets are $10. For everyone else, single tickets are $35. Tickets can be purchased at the box office in FAU’s Student Union, online at www.fauevents.com or by calling 1-800-564-9539.
Garrett • Feb 14, 2012 at 9:42 am
This event should be free for students and faculty. I hope they get plenty of locals to buy tickets because I don’t know many students would pay $10 to hear what she has to say.
Sarah • Feb 16, 2012 at 9:17 am
@Garrett, of course the tickets for students were free and if you cared to actually read the entirety of the article you would not have posted such an ignorant comment. As for this article, I maintain that the writer only made herself and the UP look bad. To make such ridiculous claims of “no one knowing” what is going on can only mean that they have been walking around this campus blindfolded. I also want to go ahead and call the SGA President out for being completely inept and ineffectual when it came to working with this project. I know he was contacted numerous times, but never graced anybody with his almighty presence or input. Has he forgotten that his role is to serve? Has he forgotten that he is still a student? Does he not know proper protocol when it comes to respecting your professors who reach out to you? This student body is too often a self-serving one. Secretary Albright graciously gave our community a few hours of her time and the only thing the UP can do is complain that they don’t know what she’ll say. Show up! Sit down. Shut up. Perhaps you’d learn something.