UNCW Presents announces its 2009/10 Leadership Lecture Series schedule. Featuring distinguished speakers that cross disciplinary boundaries, the series will explore the political, cultural and economic issues relevant today. Lectures are Mondays at 7 p.m. in UNCW's Kenan Auditorium and will be followed by a question and answer period and book signing.

Chris Abani, Monday, Sept. 14
"Stories of Struggle, Stories of Hope: Art, Politics and Human Rights"
First imprisoned at age 18 by a Nigerian regime that considered his first novel a threat to national security, Chris Abani went on to write award winning novels such as Song for Night, about a West African child soldier who has lost his voice , and Graceland. Abani, a professor of creative writing at University of California Riverside, explores the struggles of socially engaged fiction in addressing what it means to be human, who decides what makes up our humanity and if there is a standard human against whom everyone is judged. Co-sponsored by University College as the Synergy Common Reading Keynote, UNCW Student Media and the Department of Creative Writing

Matt Bai, Monday, Oct. 26
"The Generational Change in American Politics and Society: Obama and Beyond"
Matt Bai is one of the most widely respected and widely read political journalists in America. After working for five years as a national correspondent for Newsweek, Bai now writes for the New York Times Magazine. His book, The Argument: Billionaires, Bloggers, and the Battle to Remake Democratic Politics received critical acclaim and was named a New York Times Notable Book of 2007. In his work, Bai has profiled the political heavyweights and the surprising new activists and powerbrokers who are reshaping American politics in the age of Obama. His non-partisan stories cover the entire political spectrum, and with them he brilliantly chronicles our evolving society, seamlessly integrating politics, culture, and the media. Co-sponsored by UNCW Student Media

Jonathan Kozol, Monday, Feb. 15
"Joy and Justice: An Invitation to Serve the Children of the Poor"
Amid the passion of the civil rights campaigns of 1964 and 1965, Jonathan Kozol moved from Harvard Square into a poor black neighborhood of Boston and became a fourth grade teacher in the Boston public schools. He has devoted the subsequent four decades to issues of education and social justice in America. Death at an Early Age, a description of his first year as a teacher, received the 1968 National Book Award and is now regarded as a classic by educators. In his most recent work, Letters to a Young Teacher, Kozol draws upon his wealth of experience to help the newest generation of our nation's teachers navigate the ethically complicated challenges of what he calls a "beautiful profession." Co-sponsored by UNCW Student Media

Gary Hirshberg, Monday, March 22
"Green Business: The Next Frontier"
Gary Hirshberg has been a proponent of environmental and social change for over twenty five years. From his early days as an educator and activist to his current position as CEO of Stonyfield Farm—the world's largest organic yogurt company, and one netting $300 million in annual sales—Hirshberg's positive outlook has inspired thousands to recognize their ability to make the world a better place. In his book, Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World, Hirshberg demonstrates how companies can work to save the planet, while achieving greater profits and satisfaction, and how we can all use the power of conscious consumption to encourage green corporate behavior. Co-sponsored by UNCW Student Media

Complementary events are scheduled for each speaker when possible and include pre-recorded television interviews on UNCW TV, book signings, and discussion panels on related issues. For a schedule of activities and more information, visit www.uncw.edu/presents.

Box Office and Ticket Information
Tickets are $9 for the public and free to UNCW students and employees. For tickets, call Kenan Box Office at 962.3500 or 800.732.3643 outside of the Wilmington area. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. To request a season brochure, telephone UNCW Presents at 910.962.3285 or visit www.uncw.edu/presents.

About UNCW Leadership Lecture Series
The Leadership Lecture Series invites nationally and internationally-known speakers who enlighten, challenge, inspire and demonstrate that all people have the ability to lead if they have the desire to make a difference. Sponsored by UNCW Presents, the series serves as a forum for intellectual inquiry and discussion offering the campus and community opportunities to discuss and explore the political, cultural, and economic trends and issues that shape and affect our communities today. By inviting a speaker to the campus, the university does not endorse any particular position. For more information about the series, see www.uncw.edu/presents.