First Year Distinguished Speaker Series to host Andrew Young

COLUMBUS – Andrew Young, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, will kick off The Ohio State University’s inaugural First Year Distinguished Speaker Series at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (4/16) at Mershon Auditorium, 1871 N. High St.

Young will discuss his experience at the United Nations and its mission toward international peace and justice in his talk. The event is sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience.

Laura Lembo Kraus, associate director for First Year Experience, said the series differs from most university-sponsored lectures in that first-year students are given the first opportunity to request tickets. The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held each spring.

“We sought to develop a program that would engage students early in their college experiences with individuals who have helped shape and influence our world, and to do so outside a typical classroom setting,” Kraus said. “Hosting Ambassador Young as our inaugural speaker is a tremendous honor, considering his worldwide experiences in business, politics and diplomacy.”

While in Columbus, Young also will meet with Ohio State students and attend a private dinner and reception.

Young is currently chairman of GoodWorks International, a consulting group that provides strategic services to corporations and governments involved in global business operations. He is a distinguished executive fellow and honorary professor of Public Policy at Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies.

Young’s career includes more than 40 years in ministry, politics and civil and human rights. An ordained minister, he served three terms in Congress and, in 1977, was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations by President Carter. Young served as the mayor of Atlanta from 1982-89 and played a key role in bringing the 1996 Summer Olympic Games to the city. A long-time activist in the civil rights movement, Young served as a top aide to Martin Luther King Jr. and serves on the board of the Center for Non-Violent Social Change named in King’s honor.

Young has published two books, “A Way out of No Way” and “An Easy Burden.&rldquo; His awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Legion d’Honneur and more than 45 honorary degrees.

For information on ticket availability, contact Kraus at (614) 292-3343 or visit Enarson Hall, 154 W. 12th Ave. between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

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