By Christina Miller, student news writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky.—The Kentucky Heartland Institute on Public Policy (KHIPP) will hold an event on Campbellsville University’s campus, Monday, March 2, in observance of Women’s History Month.
This KHIPP event will be held at 5 p.m. in the university’s Banquet Hall of the Student Union Building. The event is free and open to the public.
Dr. Velma Speight-Buford, the North Carolina A&T State University Board of Trustees Chair and Chancellor Search Committee Chair, will be the featured speaker.
“Wisdom, the ability to cut through ignorance; Compassion, the ability to show intense enthusiasm for people and causes, and Power (Inner), the ability to make things happen” is the theme of Speight-Buford’s presentation.
Speight-Buford has been a professional educator for more than 45 years. She began as a high school teacher and expanded to high-level positions including specialists in civil rights, state supervisor of guidance and assistant state superintendent for the Maryland State Department of Education, where she served as the first black female.
She was recently honored by the North Carolina A&T University Foundation with the main lobby of its new building (Alumni-Foundation Event Center) being named in her honor.
Speight-Buford holds a bachelor of science degree from A&T, and master’s of science and Ph.D. from the University of Maryland College Park. She is married to William M. Buford, has one daughter and two granddaughters.
Other panel participants include: Dr. Wendy Benningfield, associate professor of history at Campbellsville University; Dr. Beverly Ennis, assistant professor of education at Campbellsville University; and Wanda Washington, coordinator for Greater Campbellsville United.
KHIPP primarily focuses its attention on facilitating public policy study and issues debate, while encouraging the involvement of Christian leaders in the public and civic arenas. The institute’s mission is to engage Campbellsville University students, faculty and staff, and the general public, in a greater awareness and understanding of the myriad issues confronting our culture.
The Kentucky Heartland Institute on Public Policy is committed to preparing Christian civic and political leaders for the 21st century, according to John Chowning, founder of KHIPP.
“A greater awareness of the public policy process and understanding of the numerous issues being debated in our nation is essential for the citizenry as a whole,” he said.
All events are free and open to the public.
Campbellsville University is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,601 students who represent 93 Kentucky counties, 27 states and 31 foreign nations. Listed in U.S.News & World Report’s 2009 “America’s Best Colleges,” CU is ranked 22nd in “Best Baccalaureate Colleges” in the South for the second consecutive year. CU has been ranked 16 consecutive years with U.S.News & World Report. The university has also been named to America’s Best Christian Colleges®. Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his tenth year as president.