Elizabeth Smart, child abduction survivor and advocate, will speak at the University of North Texas Feb. 9 (Thursday) as part of the university’s Distinguished Lecture Series.
Smart’s lecture begins at 8 p.m. at UNT’s Union Lyceum located at 1155 Union Circle.
Tickets for the lecture are available now and may be purchased online. UNT students can receive one free ticket with their student IDs and will pay $5 for each guest (up to two). UNT faculty, staff and alumni will pay $8 for tickets, while general admission tickets are $10.
Smart’s grueling nine months of captivity led her to becoming one of the strongest, most prominent child abduction advocates of her generation. Unlike many child abductees, she was reunited with her family in March 2003 and since then has dedicated her life to being an advocate for victims of abduction and abuse. With Smart’s lecture regarding overcoming adversity and encouraging her audiences to always fight back, she has been regarded as a beacon of hope for those who are enduring hardships in their own lives.
Using her platform, Smart has geared her life toward being a voice for others who have experienced abduction and abuse, whether that be from those whose lives she touches through her lecture circuit, or through the legislation regarding child abduction that she tirelessly fights for on Capitol Hill.
The Distinguished Lecture Series provides the university and greater communities with a variety of distinguished lecturers and speakers that bring significant interest, visibility and added prestige to the University of North Texas.
Upcoming speakers this spring are Mae Jemison—the first African-American woman to travel in space— on Feb. 22 (Wednesday) and Diane Guerrero—an actress best known for her work on “Orange is the New Black” and “Jane the Virgin”—on April 26 (Wednesday).
Visitors for the Distinguished Lecture Series may park at Highland Street Garage and Union Circle Garage for $2 or at the parking meters on Highland Street and West Sycamore Street for $2.25 an hour. Learn more at http://transportation.unt.edu/visitor-information.