Office of University Communications 

Fourth annual Public Affairs Conference focuses on finding solutions

Veterans featured in Burns documentary among featured speakers

SPRINGFIELD — Missouri State University, along with presenting sponsor The Springfield News-Leader, will host the fourth annual Public Affairs Conference, themed “Seeking Solutions: Conflict, Violence and the Courage to Change.” The event will be held April 15-18 and will bring a variety of speakers from around the world to the Springfield campus.

During the conference, panels will present discussions that offer perspectives from business, entertainment, education, politics, religion, health and other subject areas. The conference is free and open to the public.

Keynote speakers scheduled at the conference include: Glenn D. Frazier, who holds the Medal of Honor, the Bronze Star and four Purple Hearts among his many military awards, and is featured in Ken Burn’s Frontline Films, “World War II Documentaries”; William Douglas Lansford, who is raising funds for a monument to be erected in Los Angeles to the 40 Latino-American Congressional Medal of Honor recipients and also appears in the Ken Burn’s documentary; and nationally syndicated talk show host and news anchor Jim Bohannon, who is heard on more than 500 radio stations nationwide.

Also speaking will be Richard L. Berke, assistant managing editor for The New York Times; Victor LaCerva, M.D, who has been working in violence prevention for more than 16 years; Tim Lenoir, the Kimberly Jenkins Chair for New Technologies in Society at Duke University; and Pedro Alejandro Matta, a student leader at the Law School of the University of Chile in Santiago when a coup de etat overthrew the democratically elected government of President Salvador Allende.

“Our team  is excited by the speakers and the panels scheduled for this year’s conference,” said Dr. Diana Strickland, professor of art and design and Public Affairs Conference chair. “We have panelists coming from many parts of the world to speak on many issues concerning issues of conflict and violence. We are particularly pleased to be able to engage two veterans who were featured in Ken Burn’s ‘The War’ in a conversation on the first night of the conference.”

Free parking will be available for the event in the visitor’s lot 13, located off National Avenue and Monroe Street. Additional parking is available at BearPark North as well as BearPark South. A free shuttle service will provide transportation to Plaster Student Union from both parking garages.

Background information about conference speakers and complete program information are available online at www.publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/conference