Who's speaking?

The John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute will announce its distinguished lecture series at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Mesa Building courtyard on campus.

Institute director Bobby Burns and UTPB President David Watts will announce the speakers.

In the past UTPB has hosted lecturers Karl Rove, Harold E. Ford and former Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev, filling rooms with students and public eager to learn.

Last fall Rove, former chief strategist and senior adviser to Bush, spoke to a full house addressing issues like immigration reform and the upcoming presidential election. Last spring Chair of the National Democratic Leadership Council, Harold E. Ford Jr. spoke on issues facing the 2008 presidential election. Michael Steele, Republican group GOPAC chairman joined him in the discussion.