Vanderbilt University Speakers Committee presents:
 Will Shortz
New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz speaks at Vanderbilt Oct. 14
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Will Shortz, crossword puzzle editor for The New York Times and puzzle master on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday, will give a public talk at Vanderbilt University Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m.
Vanderbilt Speakers Committee, a student-run organization, is sponsoring his talk, which will be held in the ballroom at the Student Life Center located at 310 25th Ave. S.
Earlier in the day, Shortz will sign books on campus from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Vanderbilt Bookstore. Both events are open to the public. For more information about the bookstore, visit www.vanderbiltbookstore.com.
Tickets for the lecture are available now at the university’s Sarratt Student Center box office or any Ticketmaster outlet. General public tickets are $10. Tickets may also be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
Tickets are free to Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff. Only one free ticket may be picked up with a Vanderbilt identification card at the Sarratt Student Center box office.
Non-Vanderbilt students with their college or university identification cards may purchase tickets for $5 at the Sarratt box office or any Ticketmaster outlet.
Shortz is an enigmatologist – the only academically accredited puzzle master in the world. He designed his own major program at Indiana University, which in 1974 led to his one-of-a-kind degree in enigmatology, the study of puzzles.
He went on to receive a law degree from the University of Virginia, but following graduation skipped the bar exam and began his career in puzzles at PennyPress magazines. He worked at Games magazine for 15 years, becoming editor from 1989 to 1993. He has been the crossword puzzle editor of The New York Times since 1993.
The founder and director of the annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, Shortz is author or editor of more than 100 books. A member of the National Puzzlers League, he currently serves as the league’s historian. Shortz is the focus of the 2006 documentary film Wordplay. He counts President Bill Clinton, filmmaker Ken Burns and comedian Jon Stewart among his many fans.
For more news about Vanderbilt, visit VUCast – Vanderbilt’s News Network at www.vanderbilt.edu/news.
TIKI BARBER
scholar / producer / actor / philanthropist / best selling author / NBC correspondent / retired Pro Bowl running back / entrepreneur
 Tuesday, September 29, 2009
7 p.m.
Langford Auditorium
Pre-ceding Book Signing with Tiki
6:00-6:40pm Langford Auditorium Lobby
Free to VU Community (limit 1 ticket per ID)
$5 Non-VU student w/ID
$10 General Admission; Sarratt Box Office & all Ticketmaster outlets
www.ticketmaster.com
Tiki Barber is the unique individual who combines a stellar portfolio of athletics and broadcasting with a captivating story-telling presence at the podium. He is a renaissance man without equal today, as evidenced by a resume that includes: NBC correspondent, retired Pro Bowl running back, entrepreneur, best-selling author, producer, actor, corporate spokesman, scholar and philanthropist.
Barber joined NBC Universal in 2007 on the heels of his Hall of Fame-caliber NFL career. A three-time Pro Bowler, he now splits his time between being a correspondent for NBC News and serving as an analyst for NBC`s Football Night in America. Tiki also contributed to the 2008 Olympic games, 2009 Golden Globe Awards and will cover the 2010 Olympics as well.
In 10 seasons on the gridiron, Barber joined Marshall Faulk and Marcus Allen as the only players in NFL history with at least 10,000 yards rushing and 5,000 yards receiving. He retired ranking third all-time in yards per carry (4.7) and 10th all-time in yards from scrimmage (15,632; rushing and receiving). Barber holds every conceivable Giants rushing record—total yards, rushing yards, rushing attempts and rushing touchdowns—and in his final regular-season game broke his own franchise single-game rushing mark with 234 yards, in a win vs. the rival Washington Redskins.
A tireless entertainer and communicator, during his playing days Barber was a weekly co-host on FOX News Channel’s morning program FOX and Friends (2005-07). He debunked the jock stereotype as host of The National Sweep with Tiki Barber, a radio program delving into politics, news and entertainment that featured guests including: John McCain, U.S. Senator; Matt Lauer, host of the TODAY show; Rear Admiral Kenneth P. Moritsugu, U.S. Surgeon General; and Daniel Kurtzer, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
As active in the community as he was on the gridiron, Barber devotes generous time and money to the Children’s Miracle Network, the Fresh Air Fund and the Robin Hood Foundation, among others. Barber's memoir Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond, was a New York Times best-seller. A staunch advocate for literacy, he has also co-authored with Ronde five successful children’s books, and is under contract to write two more.
In 2007, as Chairman of Tiki Ventures LLC, Barber entered into a joint venture with The Related Companies for the purposes of restoring and refurbishing affordable housing stock, including more than 5,000 units across the county.
About the Speakers Committee
The Vanderbilt University Speakers Committee has the responsibility of enhancing the quality of student life and the Vanderbilt educational experience by attracting and presenting distinguished speakers to the University. The programs of the Speakers Committee seek to encourage thoughtful reflection and dialogue on contemporary issues in order to promote and strengthen the intellectual environment at Vanderbilt. We achieve this by inviting speakers throughout the year who are entertaining, diverse, and accomplished in their fields. One of our most important events is the IMPACT Symposium, which has been a tradition at Vanderbilt since 1964. This is an annual multi-day symposium in which speakers are invited to discuss current events and topics of a controversial nature.
Vanderbilt University Speakers Committee 2008-09:
Mason Hensley Co-Chair
Nina Wall Co-Chair
|
