Event information changes for Purdue's 'Women of the White House' speaker series
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Three women who served in executive positions in the White House will be featured in a new speaker series this fall at Purdue University.
"Women of the White House" will begin Sept. 23 with C-SPAN founder and Purdue alumnus Brian Lamb interviewing Ambassador Carolyn Curiel, a clinical professor of communication and a Purdue alumna, who was a senior presidential speechwriter and special assistant to former President Bill Clinton. "A Boilermaker Goes to Washington" is 5:30-6:30 p.m. in Lynn Hall, Room 1136. The series is free and open to the public.
The other series speakers are Ambassador Carmen Lomellin, permanent U.S. Representative to the Organization of American States, and retired Adm. Connie Mariano, White House physician to three American presidents and author of the book "White House Doctor." Lomellin is speaking Oct. 21, and Mariano will present on Dec. 2. The time and location for both events will be announced at a later date.
"This series will provide the audience, especially students, an insider's perspective on policy, science and communication in our country's highest office," Curiel said. "All of the scheduled speakers - and I include Brian Lamb - have ties to the state of Indiana and Purdue University. We hope our students, faculty, and staff come to welcome our guests and get a glimpse of working at the White House. Public service is a great career option."
Lamb, the CEO of C-SPAN Networks, will be on campus on Sept. 23 to visit three classes in the Department of Communication. Lamb has interviewed U.S. presidents and other world leaders, as well as more than 800 non-fiction authors for a weekly program known as "Booknotes." Currently, he hosts "Q and A," an hour-long interview program that airs on Sunday evenings.
Like Curiel, Lamb earned a bachelor's degree in communication and received an honorary doctorate from the College of Liberal Arts.
At the White House, Curiel worked on what she called the president's "Opportunity Agenda," which focused on education, health, environment and race relations. In 1997 the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed Curiel as an ambassador to Belize, where she pursued American interests in a range of fields, including security, environment, border disputes, and trade and economic cooperation.
She also served as a member of The New York Times editorial board, where she wrote on politics and foreign and domestic issues. Currently, Curiel is directing Project IMPACT: The Intersection of Media, Policy and Communication Technology. This new Purdue program will engage faculty in addressing key issues surrounding the evolving state of communication, and how news media serve to keep communities informed.
Project IMPACT is sponsoring this series with the Department of Communication, College of Liberal Arts and the Susan Bulkeley Butler Center for Leadership Excellence.
Source: Carolyn Curiel, 765-496-2778, curiel@purdue.edu
Note to Journalists: The time for the Sept. 23 event has changed to 5:30-6:30 p.m. The time and location for the Oct. 21 and Dec. 2 events will be announced at a later date,