She's a writer, a historian, a civil rights activist, an actress, a teacher and a Grammy winner.
And next month, you can find out how she did it.
Bestselling author and poet Maya Angelou will discuss her life and career on Tuesday, March 26 at 8 p.m. in Irvine Auditorium, in a lecture entitled "An Evening with Maya Angelou," sponsored by the Social Planning and Events Committee's Connaissance branch.
"She's unlike any speaker we've had in my four years here," Connaissance Co-Director Samantha Cohen said, noting that recent speakers -- which include such notable figures as Billy Joel, Madeleine Albright and Benjamin Netanyahu -- have been primarily politicians or entertainers.
The idea to feature Maya Angelou "has come up every year, and this year we decided to go for it," Cohen said. "This year, we really wanted to bring in a female speaker, so that was a primary motivating factor."
Over the past few decades, Angelou has become an international literary icon.
Angelou has written 11 bestselling books, including her autobiographical work, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which was nominated in 1970 for the National Book Award.
In 1992, she received widespread recognition when Bill Clinton asked her to compose and recite a poem at his inauguration.
And in 1994, she conquered the recording world when she won a Grammy for the Best Spoken Word Album, entitled "On the Pulse of Morning."
A modern Renaissance woman, Angelou has also worked in civil rights and politics -- in 1995, she presented a poem to the United Nations, and in 1996, she was named UNICEF's national ambassador.
Also active in journalism, acting, producing and directing, Angelou is frequently recognized from her television appearances on Sesame Street and Touched By An Angel. She acted in the 1995 movie How to Make An American Quilt, which starred Winona Rider, and the epic 1970s TV miniseries Roots.
Many students said they are excited to hear the famously emotive and inspirational speaker next month.
"She's motivational," College sophomore Chloe Banks said. "A lot of the things she says I can apply to my life. I can relate to what she has to say."
Some students said they feel Angelou's literary background will be a welcome departure from some of the less-scholarly speakers of the past.
"She's a really good choice," College junior Julie Germin said. "She's intelligent, she writes good poems and she has a lot of life experience."
And for several students, Connaissance's decision to feature an African-American woman was a refreshing one.
"I think it's great that they're trying to get diversity in their choice of speakers," Wharton senior Nushin Alloo said. "I haven't read a lot of her work, but I'd like to go see her."
Tickets for the speech are $5 for PennCard holders and can be purchased March 19 and 20 beginning at 10 a.m. on Locust Walk. Each PennCard holder may purchase no more than two tickets.
Germin said she thinks the opportunity to see Angelou will probably appeal especially to women and African Americans on campus.
"She's had a big influence on African-American and female populations," she said.
