Inside Iowa State

October 21, 2005

Lecture by CNN's O'Brien is Oct. 27

by Kevin Brown

Soledad O'Brien, co-anchor of CNN's American Morning show, has covered such defining moments as the space shuttle Columbia disaster and the school shootings in Colorado and Oregon. This month, she will add Mary Louise Smith Chair in Women and Politics to her resume.

O'Brien will discuss "Women and Leadership: Mentoring the Next Generation" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in the Memorial Union Great Hall. A reception will follow.

"Ms. O'Brien has established herself not only as one of the top news anchors in the country, but also as a voice for diversity in the industry," said Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. "A product of mentoring herself, she will discuss how mentoring allowed her to find her way in the world and learn the values of determination and hard work as a means to a greater end."

O'Brien joined CNN in 2003. Prior to that, she anchored NBC's Weekend Today and contributed reports to that network's Today Show and weekend editions of the NBC Nightly News.

CNN's Soledad O'Brien will discuss women and leadership at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in the Memorial Union Great Hall.

"A product of mentoring herself, she will discuss how mentoring allowed her to find her way in the world and learn the values of determination and hard work as a means to a greater end."

Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics