First Posted: 8/6/2009

PEMBROKE The five speakers to head the lineup for this years Distinguished Speaker Series at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke will speak on topics ranging from sports and politics to entertainment and science.
The list of speakers was announced Wednesday by the universitys Office of Student Life.
Kicking off the series on Sept. 8 will be Bill Nye, better known as The Science Guy. Nye is a scientist, engineer, comedian, author, inventor and a man with a mission to help foster a scientifically literate society and to help people understand and appreciate the science that makes the world work. He has won seven Emmy Awards by showing children that science can be fun and cool.
Chuck D., the co-founder of the rap group Public Enemy, will speak Sept. 29. Still active in the music business as a host and producer, he is described as an activist who writes about race and politics. He has been recognized by Ebony Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans.
On Nov. 5 the speaker will be Valerie Plame Wilson, a former CIA covert operations officer who became the center of political controversy when a journalist wrote about her in a column. She has written a book. Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House, that tells about her experience and the Bush administration.
Legendary womens basketball player Sheryl Swoopes will be the speaker on Jan. 21. Swoopes famous for both her offensive and defensive skills has played in the Womens National Basketball Association and in the Olympics, and is the first female athlete to receive a shoe endorsement from Nike. She is a motivational speaker and has her own charitable foundation, the Sheryl Swoopes Foundation for Youth.
The last speaker in the series will be Jodie Sweetin, best known for her portrayal as Stephanie on the hit ABC television series Full House. She will speak about her addictions to alcohol and drugs and how rehabilitative therapy changed her life.
All of the presentations will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Givens Performing Arts Center. Tickets for each event are $10 for the general public, $5 for faculty and staff, and free to UNCP students with ID.