Release Date: March 12, 2007

MONMOUTH, Ill. — State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) will be the keynote speaker as Monmouth College observes Cultural Awareness Week with panel discussions March 20-22.

The theme of the observance is “So We May Know Each Other,” and Hunter will present her talk on March 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Morgan Room of the college’s Poling Hall. The main topics that evening are African-American issues, and the next two nights will feature panel discussions on Latino/Hispanic and international student issues.

All of the events, including a related cultural awareness lecture on March 20 by University of Texas professor Amarante Lucero, are free and open to the public.

Hunter, who graduated from Monmouth College in 1976 with a degree in government, received her master’s degree in sociology from Jackson State University, where she specialized in alcoholism and drug abuse counseling. Additionally, she holds a certificate in business administration from the University of Illinois-Chicago’s School of Entrepreneurship.

In 2006, Hunter received numerous accolades, including Legislator of the Year Awards from the Chicago Area Project and the Illinois Dietetic Association. She was also honored by the National Academy of Public Administration and was included in “Who’s Who in Black Chicago.”

Hunter has served in the Illinois State Legislature since 2003 and is chairperson of the Appropriations III Committee and a member of many of the senate committees, including higher education. Among the many bills she has sponsored are one which bans the sale, distribution and manufacturing of mercury fever thermometers and mercury-added novelty products and another concerning the best methods of treating obesity, as well as assisting the Illinois Department of Public Health in coordinating and managing childhood obesity data. Other bills include one that allows high school students to be organ donors and another that stiffens the penalties for individuals who attack players, coaches or officials at sporting events. She also signed a bill which requires coverage of mammograms for women under the age of 40 years old with a family history of breast cancer or other risk factors.

Joining her on campus for the first night of panel discussions will be Purdue University professors Sandra L. Barnes, who will speak on “The Dynamics in African-American Families” and Joseph Dorsey, whose panel topic is “The Black Male Experience.” The third panel topic, “People of Color and Corporate America,” will be led by Trinity Christian College professor Nelvia Brady.

The panel discussions the next two evenings begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Whiteman-McMillan Highlander Room of the college’s Stockdale Center. Wednesday’s topics include “Latinos and Higher Education,” led by Northeastern Illinois University’s dean of academic development, Daniel Lopez. Two Western Illinois University professors, Gregory Montalvo and Sandro Barros will lead panel discussions on “Growing Up with the Label Hispanic: A Slightly Different Minority Experience” and “Virtually Latino: Brazilian Immigration in the U.S., Representation and Marginal Solidarity.”

Monmouth’s director of intercultural life, Ruby Pentsil-Bukari, will lead a panel discussion titled “Through the Eyes of International Students: Challenges and Achievements” on March 22. The other topic that evening is “International Education: Plans, Pains and Progress,” led by Patricia Jones, assistant director of the University Advising and Academic Support Center at WIU.

On March 20, Lucero, who is a professor of Latin American studies/theatre and dance at Texas, will speak on “Working in Latin America” at 7 p.m. in the lower level classrooms of the Huff Athletic Center. His talk is subtitled “Differences, Commonalities and How They View the USA.”

Lucero, who is an internationally acclaimed designer and theater consultant, will also speak to several classes about theater technology while on campus.

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