Elizabeth Edwards To Be Keynote Speaker For Central Ohio Higher Education Institution

Columbus, OH (PRWEB) July 22, 2008 -- Elizabeth Edwards will visit Central Ohio this October for Ohio Dominican University's Presidential Lecture Series. Elizabeth Edwards is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and wife of former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate John Edwards.

The event will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 9 at the Aladdin Shrine Center, 3850 Stelzer Road, Columbus Ohio. Immediately following Mrs. Edwards' presentation, she will sign copies of her book, Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers.

"We are thrilled to welcome Elizabeth Edwards to Central Ohio and to our Institution," said Bishop James A. Griffin, Interim President of Ohio Dominican University (http://www.ohiodominican.edu/about/arts/). "Ohio Dominican University celebrates Mrs. Edwards' commitment to serving her country and we encourage all to join us at the lecture series."

Elizabeth Edwards shares her husband's deep commitment to improving the daily lives of all Americans and making sure that everyone in this country has the opportunity to succeed. A passionate advocate for children and families and an accomplished attorney and author, she has been a tireless advocate on behalf of many important social causes.

Americans were first introduced to Elizabeth Edwards (http://www.ohiodominican.edu/about/arts/) as she campaigned extensively across the country during her husband's vice presidential and presidential campaigns. The day after the general election in 2004, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was in remission until March 2007, when she discovered the cancer had returned. She and her husband made the decision to continue on with the campaign and she kept an active schedule of campaign activities. Her courageous battle with breast cancer has served as an inspiration to women across the country.

Mrs. Edwards recently joined The Center for American Progress as a Senior Fellow. The Center is a think tank dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through ideas and action. In her new role, Mrs. Edwards works on behalf of healthcare issues and writes for the Wonk Room, The Center for American Progress Action Fund's newly launched rapid-response blog.

Elizabeth Edwards is also active in community service; the Wade Edwards Foundation, a foundation started by the Edwards family after their first child, Wade, passed away; a variety of charitable efforts, including fundraising for the March of Dimes, and serving on the UNC Board of Visitors and Books for Kids.

Ticket information for the Ohio Dominican University Presidential Lecture Series (http://www.ohiodominican.edu/about/arts/):

* Tickets are $25 per person and advance payment is required. Cash, check, VISA and MasterCard will be accepted.

* Tickets can be ordered online (credit card only) at ohiodominican.edu/about/arts (http://www.ohiodominican.edu/about/arts/presidentiallectureseries.asp).

* Tickets may also be purchased in the Office of the President, Erskine Hall 238. 1216 Sunbury Road, Columbus, OH after July 28, 2008.

* Tickets will be mailed three weeks prior to the event. Tickets ordered after September 26, 2008 will be available at will-call.

* For more information, contact the ODU's Office of the President at (614) 251-4561 or e-mail pls@ohiodominican.edu.

Ohio Dominican University's Presidential Lecture Series was created seven years ago to highlight the Central Ohio Institution's commitment to the arts, education and politics (http://www.ohiodominican.edu/about/arts/), and to provide the Ohio Dominican and Greater Columbus communities with the opportunity to hear leaders from a variety of fields who have been widely recognized for their contributions.

The series underscores the Ohio Dominican motto: To contemplate truth and share with others the fruits of this contemplation. These lectures are not intended to be an endorsement of any particular speaker or his or her views, but rather, are intended to provide insight into the prevalent social issues of our day.

To date, the Presidential Lecture Series has brought the following noted speakers to the Ohio Dominican campus:

* Edward Albee, American Playwright

* Howard Gardner, Scholar and Educational Psychologist

* Tony Kushner, Pulitzer Prize-winning Playwright

* Frances Mayes, Best-selling Author

* Billy Collins, Former U.S. Poet Laureate

* Ellen Goodman, Pulitzer Prize-winning Columnist

* Terri Gross, NPR Fresh Air Host

* Amy Tan, Best-selling Author

* William Kristol, Political Analyst

* Donna Brazile, Political Analyst

* Ray Suarez, Senior Correspondent for The News Hour with Jim Lehrer on PBS

About Ohio Dominican University

Ohio Dominican University (http://www.ohiodominican.edu/) is a four-year liberal arts institution, founded in 1911 in the Dominican tradition. The university has 3,000 students and offers undergraduate degrees in 50 majors as well as several graduate degree programs. Ohio Dominican uses a student-centered approach, with a commitment to quality teaching and learning and a number of academic programs of distinction.

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