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Georgia Southern to Host “An Evening with Laura Bush”

Laura Bush will speak at Georgia Southern on Sept. 17.

Laura Bush will speak at Georgia Southern on Sept. 17.

Former first lady Laura Bush will speak at Georgia Southern University’s Hanner Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. The appearance by one of the most admired American first ladies is part of the University’s Leadership Lecture Series which allows Georgia Southern students to learn from U.S. and world leaders.

“This is an exciting opportunity to welcome Laura Bush to our campus as she shares with our students and our community her journey from teaching in a public school to becoming the first lady of the United States,” said Georgia Southern Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Teresa Thompson, Ph.D. “Mrs. Bush is a devoted advocate for a number of issues including education, and her message on leadership should inspire anyone who hears her.”

For decades, Mrs. Bush has traveled the U.S. and the world to champion issues in education, health care and human rights. She now serves as Chair of the Women’s Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute and continues working on global health care innovations, education reform, empowering women in emerging democracies and supporting America’s veterans. The former first lady is also the best-selling author of Spoken from the Heart.

Mrs. Bush has a bachelor’s in education and a master’s in library science. She taught in public schools in Dallas, Houston and Austin and was also a public school librarian. Her husband, former President George W. Bush spoke at Georgia Southern in 2006. The Bushes are the parents of twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, and they have one granddaughter.

The former first lady joins a long and distinguished list of leaders to appear at Georgia Southern’s Leadership Lecture Series which includes former President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter,  former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, political consultants James Carville and Mary Matalin, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

“The Leadership Lecture Series has certainly brought recognition to Georgia Southern and to our efforts to educate young leaders,” explained Todd Deal, Ph.D., director of the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement. “The Series has never been about showcasing people, but is about providing opportunities for our students, faculty, staff and the entire community to glean leadership wisdom from those who have practiced leadership in the public eye.  We do not hold them up as perfect leaders, but as people who accepted their responsibility to society or took advantage of an opportunity and then did their best to exercise leadership in their sphere of influence.”

Information on dates and locations to pick up complimentary tickets to “An Evening with Laura Bush” will be released later this month. For more information, visit: GeorgiaSouthern.edu/MrsBush.

Georgia Southern University, a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers 125 degree programs serving more than 20,500 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement.  Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered approach to education. Visit: www.georgiasouthern.edu.

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