Scott Speaker Series to feature Villaseñor, Friedman

The H. Lee Scott Speaker Series in 2025 will feature two celebrities: an actress and comedian in January, and a political commentator, author, and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist in April. Both events will take place in the Linda and Lee Scott Performance Hall in the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts at Pittsburg State University. Melissa …

newsroom

Dec 6, 2024 - 12:00

0 5

Scott Speaker Series to feature Villaseñor, Friedman

The H. Lee Scott Speaker Series in 2025 will feature two celebrities: an actress and comedian in January, and a political commentator, author, and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist in April.

Both events will take place in the Linda and Lee Scott Performance Hall in the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts at Pittsburg State University.

Melissa Villaseñor

Melissa Villaseñor will be the featured speaker at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24 in an event aimed at young adults. Tickets will go on sale to students and young alumni – those having graduated within the past 10 years — on Dec. 11. Any remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public on Jan. 6.

Villaseñor broke barriers by becoming the first-ever Latina cast member of “Saturday Night Live.” A comedic impressions expert, she got her start as a semifinalist on “America’s Got Talent.” Some of her most memorable SNL impressions include Owen Wilson, Lady Gaga, and Dolly Parton.

An accomplished voice actor, she has voiced characters on several television shows including “Nickelodeon’s OK K.O!” and “Rock, Paper, Scissors,” and in films “Toy Story 4” and “Wreck It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet,” for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.

She was a guest on Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” and can be seen in the drama “Barry,” the sit-com “Crashing,” and the series “Awkwafina is Nora From Queens.”

She hosted the 2021 Independent Spirit Awards, published a self-help journal “Whoops, I’m Awesome,” recorded two music albums, had a Netflix special, and creates fine art.

Among her recognition: Forbes 30 Under 30, Rolling Stone’s 50 Funniest People Right Now, and CNN’s Women in Comedy.

This event at Pitt State will be part of the university’s GOLD program, or Gorillas of the Last Decade, designed to engage young alumni.

Tickets:

$5 for students, $10 for GOLD alumni, and $15 for the general public. They may be purchased at the PSU Ticket Office, located inside the Weede Building, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday from Dec. 11 until Dec. 19. They’ll again be available for purchase at the Ticket Office starting Jan. 6 when campus reopens after the break. Tickets also may be purchased online at pittstate.edu/tickets.

Thomas Friedman

Thomas Friedman will be the featured speaker at 7 p.m. on April 3. The event will be held during a week dubbed GoPitt!Fest that celebrates Pittsburg State with a variety of activities for students, faculty and staff, alumni, donors, and community members.

Tickets for that event will go on sale starting Feb. 4.

Friedman is the bestselling author of “The World is Flat” and a New York Times foreign affairs columnist.

He is renowned for his direct reporting and accessible analysis of complex issues shaping the world.

According to Foreign Policy magazine, “Friedman doesn’t just report on events; he helps shape them.”

The winner of three Pulitzer Prizes, he has covered monumental stories from around the globe for The New York Times since 1981. With clear and compelling language, Friedman discusses the opportunities and challenges that “accelerations,” including technology and connectivity, present. He also explores solutions — on a local and global level — to ensure the future of work, skills, income, and prosperity.

He has written seven books since 1989 that have sold 10 million copies in 40 different languages. They include “From Beirut to Jerusalem,” “The Lexus and the Olive Tree,” “The World is Flat,” and his latest bestseller, “Thank

You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations,” in which Friedman offers a blueprint for overcoming the stresses and challenges of a world being transformed by technology, globalization, and climate change.

Friedman was featured in Showtime’s climate change documentary series, “Years of Living Dangerously,” executive produced by James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Tickets:

$5 for students; $10 for faculty, staff, and seniors; and $15 for the general public. They may be purchased at the PSU Ticket Office, located inside the Weede Building, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, or online at Source