August 25, 2009

Liberal arts series highlights careers, alumni

The fall class and speakers series is part of the LA Influentials course that is being offered to liberal arts students and taught by Irwin (Bud) Weiser, interim dean of Purdue's College of Liberal Arts.

The series meets from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. each Friday, Sept. 4 through Nov. 20 and on Dec. 4 and 11. The talks are in Beering Hall, Room 2290, and are free and open to the public as seating permits.

The dates and speakers are:

* Sept. 4. Andrew Maner, CEO of National Interest Security Co., LLC. He earned his bachelor's degree in communication in 1991. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Maner_bio.html  

* Sept. 11. Brian Lamb, CEO and chairman of C-SPAN. He earned his bachelor's degree in speech in 1963 and received an honorary doctorate in political science and government in 1986. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Lamb_bio.html

* Sept. 18. Paul Krivonos, professor emeritus of communication studies at California State University, Northridge. He earned his doctorate in organizational communication in 1975. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Krivonos_bio.html

* Sept. 25. Judy Brandau, vice president for international business operations for Latin America, West and Hawaii for Marriott Vacation Club International. She earned her bachelor's degree in social science and education in 1970. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Brandau_bio.html

* Oct. 2. Anita Verheul, senior vice president of William Gallagher Associates. She earned her bachelor's degree in fine arts in 1985. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Verheul_bio.html

* Oct. 9. Earl Major, director of human resource practices at Humana. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology in 1988 and master's degree in management in 1990. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Major_bio.html

* Oct. 16. Tom Christopoul, president and CEO of Resources Global Professionals. He earned his master's degree in organizational communication in 1988. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Christopoul_bio.html

* Oct. 23. Col. Roy Byrd, director of Marine Corps programs at ITT Defense, Electronic and Services Group. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and government in 1976. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Byrd_bio.html

* Oct. 30. Purdue President France A. Córdova. She earned her bachelor's degree in English from Stanford University in 1967, her doctorate in physics from the California Institute of Technology in 1979 and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Loyola Marymount University in 1997. More information is available at http://www.purdue.edu/president/about/index.html

* Nov. 6. Purdue men's head basketball coach Matt Painter. He earned his bachelor's degree in sociology in 1994. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Painter_Bio.html

* Nov. 13. Dale Pupillo, special agent in charge of the Vice Presidential Protective Division for the U.S. Secret Service. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science and government in 1976. More information is available at  http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Dale_Pupillo_bio.html

* Nov. 20. Steve Laughlin, vice president of International Business Machines. He earned his bachelor's degree in communication in 1987 and his master's of science in 1992. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Laughlin_bio.html

* Dec. 4. Cindy Fornelli, executive director of Center for Audit Quality. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science and government in 1985. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Fornelli_bio.html

* Dec. 11. Kristina Harvey, founding executive director of the Blossom Project Inc. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science and government in 1991. More information is available at http://www.cla.purdue.edu/alumni/gs300/Harvey_bio.html

The four talks in October also are part of Experience Liberal Arts, a monthlong celebration highlighting the College of Liberal Arts.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Sources:   Chris Sharp, director of alumni relations and special events, 765-494-7884, ctsharp@purdue.edu

Irwin "Bud" Weiser, 765-494-3661, iweiser@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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