Today’s economic climate has left many people with questions about what our economic future will look like. The Social Planning and Events Committee believes Steve Forbes can provide some answers.
Forbes, editor-in-chief of the business magazine Forbes and former Republican presidential candidate, was chosen by the Social Planning and Events Connaissance Committee to speak this fall.
The event will take place on Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. in Irvine Auditorium. Forbes’ speech will focus on the political ramifications of the current economic crisis.
SPEC chose Forbes because of his extensive background in both economics and politics, College senior and Connaissance co-chairwoman Kate Shulman said.
Forbes ran in the Republican primaries in 1996 and 2000, promoting a flat-income tax plan. As a student at Princeton University, he founded Business Today, which is currently the largest student-run magazine in the world.
Shulman said Forbes’ perspectives may be different from those of many Penn students. She explained that the event will provide an outlet for students to “learn from different views and question political and economic systems.”
Connaissance co-chairwoman and College senior Min-Joo Shelly Cha agreed that Forbes’ insight on politics and the economic crisis would be valuable to students.
“What he has is a bird’s-eye-view,” Cha said. “He has more knowledge than a lot of the general public does.”
Last year, Connaissance brought former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and CNN’s Anderson Cooper to campus. In the past, SPEC has also hosted speakers like former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, actor Martin Sheen and music artist Billy Joel.
In contrast to speakers in previous years, SPEC President and College senior Dasha Barannik said, Forbes will talk about issues that are relevant to all students right now.
Forbes is an authority on business, Barannik said, but his speech will give insight that is important to the entire community — he will also address topics like health care, taxes and business growth.
Barannik added that Forbes will be able to provide a “well-rounded and engaging perspective” on the impact of the economic crisis, where the world is heading now and possibilities for recovery.
Tickets are $5 for PennCard holders and will be available via a lottery system at specevents.net. The lottery wil run from Oct. 19 until Oct. 23.
Tickets will be distributed from Oct. 26 to Nov. 2. Lottery winners will be allowed to pick up a maximum of two tickets.
