Nadine Strossen, president of the American Civil Liberties Union, will speak at 7:30 p.m., Sept. 27, in the Elam Center at UTM. Her appearance is sponsored by Honors Programs, the Freshman Experience, the Student Activities Council and the American Democracy Project. The lecture will end with a brief question-and-answer period.

“In her role as president of the American Civil Liberties Union, Nadine Strossen is one of the most zealous defenders of civil liberties on the national stage today,” said Dr. Dan McDonough, UTM Honors Programs director. “Since 9/11, one of the most confounding questions in American life is how to balance a protection of national and individual security with protection of personal and civil liberties.

Ms. Strossen will present an engaging and provocative presentation of these most serious issues.”

Strossen, professor of law at New York Law School, has written, lectured and practiced extensively in the areas of constitutional law, civil liberties and international human rights. Since 1991, she has served as president of the ACLU, the first woman to head the nation’s largest and oldest civil liberties organization. The ACLU presidency is a volunteer post.

“The National Law Journal” has twice named Strossen one of “The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America.” In 1998, “Vanity Fair Magazine”

included Strossen in “America’s 200 Most Influential Women and in 1999, “Ladies’ Home Journal” included Strossen in “America’s 100 Most Important Women.”

Since becoming ACLU president, Strossen has made more than 200 public presentations per year before diverse audiences. She comments frequently in the national media, having appeared on virtually every national news program. Strossen has authored one book, co-authored another and published approximately 250 scholarly works.

Strossen graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College in 1972 and magna cum laude in 1975 from Harvard Law School, where she was editor of the Harvard Law Review. Before becoming a law professor, she practiced law for nine years in Minneapolis and New York City.

The Academic Speakers program annually brings distinguished scholars, writers and performers to the UTM campus. All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Dan McDonough at danmc@utm.edu or 731-881-7436.