Leadership Lecture Series Welcomes Author and Youth Advocate for Lecture on Leadership in Public Life

November 15, 2011
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Wes Moore

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Wes Moore, youth advocate and New York Times bestselling author, will lecture on leadership in public life at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at First Baptist Church of Waco. The event, which is free and open to the public, is a part of the annual Leadership Lecture Series. Hosted by Baylor's Academy for Leader Development and Civic Engagement, the series is presented in the fall and spring to inspire students to get involved in today's society.

Born in 1978 in Maryland, Moore moved at a young age to the Bronx, N.Y., with his mother and two sisters. His father died suddenly when Moore was three years old. After overcoming disciplinary problems, Moore graduated from Valley Forge Military College in 1998 and from Johns Hopkins University in 2001. He also completed a master of letters degree in international relations from Oxford University in 2004.

From 2005 to 2006, Moore was a paratrooper and a captain in the United States Army, serving a combat tour of duty in Afghanistan. He spearheaded the American strategic support plan for the Afghan Reconciliation Program and is recognized as an authority on the rise and ramifications of radical Islamism in the Western Hemisphere. A White House Fellow from 2006 to 2007, Moore served as a special assistant to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He then joined Citigroup in New York, focusing on global technology and alternative investments.

Moore serves on the board of the Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and founded STAND! through Johns Hopkins, which works with Baltimore youth involved in the criminal justice system. He also was a featured speaker at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver and was named one of Ebony magazine's "Top 30 Leaders Under 30" for 2007 and Crain's New York Business' "40 Under 40 Rising Stars" in 2009. His 2010 book, "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" was a New York Times best seller.

Today, Moore is committed to helping young people redirect their lives and supporting the parents, teachers, mentors and volunteers who care for, and work with, the nation's youth. A portion of his proceeds from the sales of "The Other Wes Moore" are donated to the U.S. Dream Academy and City Year. Moore lives with his wife Dawn in New Jersey.

First Baptist Church is at 500 Webster Ave.

About the Academy for Leader Development and Civic Engagement

The Academy for Leader Development and Civic Engagement was established in 2004 by the Division of Student Life at Baylor University. Each semester the Academy devotes its lectures to one of the Academy's leadership concentrations: leadership and contemporary social issues; leadership in public life; leadership in the church; and leadership through private enterprise.

Presenters in the series articulate a critical need in the given area of focus, a description of leadership in the area and reflections on the role of Christian leadership in meeting that need. Upcoming speakers include Dr. Bonny Cain, superintendent of the Waco Independent School District, and Hannibal B. Johnson, attorney, independent consultant and author.

For more information, call the Academy at (254) 710-3100 or send an email to Leadership@baylor.edu.

by Katy McDowall, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805