This week may be a busy one for many students on campus, but over 1,200 lucky ticketholders were happy to clear their schedules to hear famed author and poet Maya Angelou speak tonight.
"I was supposed to go home for a holiday, but I'm staying an extra day just to see her," College sophomore Adina Zoltan said.
In a sold-out lecture, "An Evening with Maya Angelou," sponsored by the Social Planning and Events Committee's Connaissance branch, the best-selling author and poet will discuss her life and career this evening at 8 p.m. in Irvine Auditorium.
SPEC Connaissance Co-Director Leah Ferrucci said that the group's decision to bring Angelou was very well received by the Penn community, and the proof is in the ticket sales. Not only did the show sell out in two days, but half of the $5 tickets, which were available on Locust Walk to PennCard holders for purchase on March 19 and March 20, were snatched up in a mere two hours.
"There were so many people who wanted to buy more than two tickets," Ferrucci said. "And we had to turn some people away."
College sophomore Tamara Heligman was on her toes and snagged her ticket within the first 15 minutes of ticket sales.
"I've always liked Maya Angelou," Heligman said. "I'm really excited to see her speak, and I'm impressed that they were able to get her to come."
Ferrucci said that SPEC aims at bringing in a diverse group of speakers every year, and Angelou encompassed everything that they were looking for.
"We were hoping to bring in a woman this year," Ferrucci said. "She's such a prominent figure in literature right now and quite different from people we've brought in the past."
Recent speakers have included mostly entertainers and politicians, including such well-known names as Billy Joel, Ben Stein, Madeleine Albright and former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Angelou, although most distinguished for her prose and poetry, has also done work in politics, civil rights, journalism, and producing and directing films. She gained national acclaim in 1992 when Bill Clinton asked her to compose and recite a poem at his inauguration, and in 1994 she received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album.
Angelou is also often recognized for her appearances on television shows such as "Sesame Street" and "Touched By An Angel," the 1970s epic miniseries Roots and the 1995 film How to Make An American Quilt, which starred Winona Ryder.
"I've heard her speak on television more often than I've read her work," Zoltan said, explaining that she has started researching Angelou's writing now that she has the opportunity to see her in person. "This lecture is my jumping-off point."
Although many students are not familiar with Angelou's entire portfolio, most are at least familiar with a few of her pieces and eager to learn more by attending her lecture this evening.
"My friends really wanted to go, so I decided to join them," College sophomore Jessica Fisher said. "I don't know what she's planning on talking about, but it should be interesting for me because I read her book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, in high school."
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an autobiographical work that was nominated in 1970 for the National Book Award, is just one of Angelou's 11 best-selling books.
