Olympic silver medalist speedskater Jordan Malone among speakers at UNT's Great Conversations dinner Feb. 24

Wednesday, January 21, 2015 - 17:22
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What: Great Conversations -- A dinner hosted by the University of North Texas Honors College, with stimulating conversation as the main purpose. Those who attend will be seated in small groups, with the tables hosted by UNT faculty and staff members and business and community leaders.

When: Feb. 24 (Tuesday), beginning at 6 p.m.

Where: Clubroom of UNT's Apogee Stadium, 1251 S. Bonnie Brae St., Denton

Cost: $75 for individual tickets. Tickets may be purchased online at the event's website.

Contact: Diana Dunklau in the UNT Honors College at 940-565-2474 or diana.dunklau@unt.edu.

DENTON (UNT), Texas -- How does an Olympic short track speed skater prepare for fast-paced racing around an oval?

Denton native Jordan Malone, who received a silver medal at last year's Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, in the 5,000-meter relay -- a distance of 3.1 miles -- and also competed as an individual in shorter distances, will provide his thoughts during the annual Great Conversations dinner hosted by the University of North Texas Honors College Feb. 24 (Tuesday). Malone is now a student in UNT's College of Engineering.

Held by the college for a fifth straight year, Great Conversations allows participants to choose to be seated for dinner at a table hosted by a specific conversation leader, who will begin the dinner conversation by discussing his or her expertise. No more than eight people are seated at each table. 

This year's Great Conversations begins at 6 p.m. in the clubroom of UNT's Apogee Stadium, which is located at 1251 S. Bonnie Brae St. Tickets cost $75 per person and must be purchased at the Honors College website. Proceeds from the event directly benefit Honors College students by supporting scholarships and programming.

The 27 conversation leaders are a mix between UNT faculty and staff members and well-known Denton and Dallas-Fort Worth personalities. In addition to Malone, they include:

  • Yianni Arestis and Bobby Mullins, UNT alumni and founders of the Denton-based craft brewery, Armadillo Ale Works, and winners of a gold medal at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival presented by the Brewers Association.
  • Denton City Council representative Kevin Roden, who will lead discussion on Denton becoming the first city in Texas to ban hydraulic fracturing after citizens approved the measure this past November.
  • National Football League referee Scott Steenson, who recently retired after 23 seasons. Steenson officiated in two Super Bowls, including Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.
  • Shelly Tucker, a professional storyteller known as the "Ghost Lady" of Denton, who leads tours about the haunted history of Denton County on Friday and Saturday evenings.

For more information about Great Conversations, contact Diana Dunklau in the UNT Honors College at 940-565-2474 or diana.dunklau@unt.edu, or go the event's website to see a complete list of table hosts and to purchase tickets online.

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