The University of Texas at Arlington has released the lineup for its 2014-2015 Maverick Speakers Series, and it's a group that's as eclectic as it is interesting.
The series, now in its seventh season, will feature a variety of speakers talking about everything from sports to politics, the military and science. All events, which are open to the public, take place at either College Park Center or Texas Hall on the UTA campus.
Below are the featured speakers in 2014-2015:
September 25 - Bob Costas: Sports in America: Is it Still Only a Game?
The sportscaster extraordinaire who is almost everywhere — hosting the Olympics, MLB Network coverage, Football Night in America and Costas Tonight — talks about the state of sports as only he can. Tickets for the lecture at College Park Center are available on Tuesday, August 26.
October 20 - James Carville and Mary Matalin: All's Fair: Love, War and Politics
Carville and Matalin, one of America's best-loved political couples, should always be at odds because Carville is a prominent figure in the Democratic Party, while Matalin is a well-known consultant for the Republican Party. But they've made their relationship work, including being co-authors of the best-selling book All's Fair: Love, War and Running for President. Tickets for the lecture at Texas Hall are available starting on September 22.
November 4 - James Stavridis: Sailing the Cyber Sea: The New Realities of 21st Century Security
Stavridis is dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and also the board chairman for the U.S. Naval Institute. A retired admiral, Stavridis served as Supreme Allied Commander from 2009-13. He talks about the role of women in international relations, synthetic biology and its impact on foreign affairs, and the function of online media and social networks in public diplomacy. Tickets for the lecture at Texas Hall are available starting October 7.
February 19, 2015 - Michio Kaku: Physics and the Future
Kaku is one of the most renowned contemporary figures in science, with a specialty in Einstein's unified field theory, which Kaku is attempting to complete. He is also known for his work in predicting trends that affect business, commerce and finance. The Henry Semat Chair in Theoretical Physics at the City University of New York, Kaku has written several best-selling books and is currently the public face of the Science Channel. Tickets for the lecture at Texas Hall are available starting January 20, 2015.
March 26, 2015 - Henry Cisneros: Smart Growth: Developing the Economy, Infrastructure and a Sustainable Future
Cisneros was the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Bill Clinton. He also was San Antonio's mayor from 1981 to 1989. Since leaving public office, he has remained actively involved with housing development and urban revitalization through his business, CityView, and his position as co-chair of the Housing Commission at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Tickets for the lecture at Texas Hall will be available starting February 24, 2015.
General admission tickets to all lectures are free at utatickets.com, with a limit of two per person. If you want a bit more, preferred packages of $50 per event include reserved entrance for events at Texas Hall, reserved seating at the front of the venue, reserved parking and front-of-the-line access to book signings.
You can also get preferred season packages for $200, saving $50 versus buying each event individually. Unlike general admission tickets, you can buy as many preferred packages as you'd like.
There are also VIP packages available for $500 per event that give you all the benefits of the preferred package, entry to a reception with the featured speaker and to an invitation-only dinner before the event, as well as photograph and autograph opportunities. Contact Mark LaVelle at mlavelle@uta.edu or 817-272-5235 for this package.
Bob Costas will kick off the 2014-2015 UT Arlington Maverick Speakers Series on Thursday, September 25.
NADC Burger is coming to Uptown. Courtesy of NADC Burger