About RMU
Pittsburgh Speakers Series
Robert Morris University sponsors the annual Pittsburgh Speakers Series, a series of seven different lectures, on seven evenings, at Heinz Hall from October through April. Our distinguished speakers share with the audience their unique experiences and perspectives on a wide variety of topics - from world affairs and politics, to history and the environment, to books and authors, to business and economics, to the arts and entertainment. For those who wish to ask the speaker questions, an exciting question and answer session follows each lecture.
The 2012-13 speakers line-up:
* Oct. 4 – President Bill Clinton served as the 42nd President of the United States during a time of unprecedented prosperity and change. Now, he serves as a powerful voice for progress as he shares his unique insights and observations with audiences around the world. President Clinton addresses the challenge of globalization, emphasizing our growing interdependence, and points the way toward a common future based on shared goals and values.
* Nov. 14 – Jon Huntsman served as the 16th Governor of the State of Utah. He has held positions in the U.S. Government under four presidents and was appointed by President Barack Obama as the U.S. Ambassador to China in 2009. In addition, he also served as the Deputy United States Trade Representative and as U.S. Ambassador to Singapore. Most recently, he was a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.
* Nov. 29 – Former field correspondent for "The Oprah Winfrey Show," Lisa Ling now has her own series on The Oprah Winfrey Network, “Our America with Lisa Ling.” She has also served as a contributor to "National Geographic Explorer" and ABC News’ “Nightline.” Ling will discuss her passionate and in-depth coverage of international stories, many of which are overlooked by the mainstream media. Ling spent several years as a co-host of "The View" earlier in her career.
* Jan. 23, 2013 – Former White House Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton, Erskine Bowles also served as co-chair of the bi-partisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. In addition, Bowles is a former president of North Carolina University system and was appointed Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery for the United Nations following the devastating 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia.
* Feb. 13, 2013 – Author Jeanette Walls is best known for her memoir, “The Glass Castle,” in which she portrays her difficult childhood with a dysfunctional, nomadic family and her drive to overcome adversity. The novel remained a New York Times Best-Seller for three years and sold more than 2.5 million copies. A graduate of Barnard College, Walls began a career in journalism over 20 years ago and has written for New York Magazine and USA Today.
* March 13, 2013 – Vicente Fox, who served as president of Mexico from 2000 through 2006 was the first president to be elected in that country from an opposing party since 1910. He also served as governor of his home state Guanajuato in the mid-1990’s. Fox began his career as a delivery truck driver before rising to become Coca-Cola Mexico’s president at one time.
* April 22, 2013 – In 1972, Nando Parrado miraculously survived a plane crash at 18,000 feet in the Andes Mountains on his way to an international rugby tournament. Parrado and 16 other members of his team survived in the Andes for 72 days and were rescued after a heroic, 10-day marathon trek led by Parrado. His story was told in the 1993 motion picture “Alive,” in which Parrado was portrayed by Ethan Hawke.