Rev. Jesse Jackson to speak Monday

Student tickets available Friday in Warren Hall

Culminating Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week, the Rev. Jesse Jackson will speak on the theme "Keep the Fire Burning — Be the Dream" Monday in Wilson Hall Auditorium.

"Rev. Jackson was chosen because of his relationship with King during the Civil Rights Movement," said Heather Wauls, a program coordinator for the Center for Multicultural/International Student Services, which sponsors the week's activities. "What better way to celebrate the week?" she asked.

Fred Hilton, director of media relations, agreed that "because Jackson worked closely with King, he was an excellent choice." Hilton said the university tries to bring in speakers and hold programs that will be meaningful to the students.

Wauls said that student and faculty reaction to his upcoming appearance has been largely positive. "We have gotten some backlash," she said, referring to some of the comments she has received from faculty and students. "But, I personally think that a bit of controversy is good because it opens people up to new ideas."

A few thousand people are expected to attend the speech, Wauls said. Because the Wilson Hall Auditorium cannot meet the seating demands of the campus, satellite locations in Grafton-Stovall Theatre and the College Center Grand Ballroom will be available for people to view Jackson's presentation via the campus cable system. These locations do not require tickets for admission.

Student response has been positive to the satellite locations, Wauls said. "A lot of students don't want to deal with having to get tickets, so this is a good solution for them and for dealing with the overflow," she added.

Although all seating is free, tickets are required for seating in Wilson Hall Auditorium.

Faculty and staff may pick up tickets until Friday, Jan. 16, at the CMISS office in Warren Hall, room 245, from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. Students may pick up their tickets Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Warren Hall mailroom lobby.

Wauls said that allowing faculty and staff to acquire tickets sooner is a "perk of their job." This will not, however, affect the number of student seats available.

"Wilson Hall [Auditorium] has seating for about 1,300 people," she said. "Half of those are reserved for students and the other half are for faculty, staff and the public."

A member of the public can reserve one general admission ticket by calling CMISS at x8-6636. Tickets may be picked up at the "will call" table in the Wilson Hall lobby before the speech once doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The speech will begin at 7:30 p.m. Handbags, book bags or similar accessories will not be permitted in Wilson Hall.

In previous years, Coretta Scott King, former Va. Gov. L. Douglas Wilder and economist and author Julianne Malveaux have participated in the week's events.

"We pride ourselves on bringing good speakers to campus," Wauls said. Planning for Jackson's speech began in October, with the assistance of over 50 students volunteering on committees.

Jackson, "founder and president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, is one of America's foremost civil rights, religious and political figures," according to the Web site www.rainbowpush.org.

The coalition is a "progressive organization fighting for social change," according to the Web site.

For more information, call CMISS at x8-6636.