Fans of author/artist Frank Warren, The Biggest Loser trainer Dolvett Quince and actress/activist Marlee Matlin will be happy to know that they're the speakers for the fall semester of USF's University Lecture Series.
The student-run organization announced the lineup late last week.
Frank Warren, creator of The Post Secret Project and author Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, 8:00 p.m.; book signing at 9:30 p.m. Warren is the creator of an art project and blog phenomenon featuring a collection of more than 500,000 anonymous, custom decorated postcards that deliver secrets of the soul from people around the world. He will share his experiences as “the most trusted stranger in America.” Dolvett Quince, fitness guru and trainer on The Biggest Loser Monday, Oct. 14, 2013, 8:00 p.m.; photo opportunity at 9:45 p.m. Quince will share his powerful story of lessons learned growing up in foster care that led him to become one of America’s most beloved fitness experts and to develop his philosophy of reshaping one’s self mentally to transform physically. Marlee Matlin, Academy Award winning actress and activist Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013, 8:00 p.m.; book signing at 9:45 p.m. Addressing topics of inclusion, diversity, and access, as well as addiction and abuse, Matlin, who is deaf, will share her life experiences in front of the camera, off the set, and as an activist for these important topics.
The lectures will be held in the Marshall Student Center Ballroom and are free and open to students, faculty, staff and the general public.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that cost is a major obstacle for the student-organized series: while speakers like Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno, politician Ron Paul and actor Michael J. Fox were considered, speaking fees of $50,000 for Ohno and Paul, and $150,000 for Fox made them out-of-reach.
Their final choices were more affordable: Warren's speaking fee is $17,500, Quince $23,500 and Matlin $28,000. The half dozen students who put together the series have a budget of more than $200,000 this year. Those funds come from student activity fees.
Visit http://uls.usf.edu/ for more information.
