Ferrum College Brings Noted Author of "Dead Man Walking" for Wright Lecture Series

For immediate release:
April 1, 2008
Contact: Natalie Faunce, (540) 365-4301
nfaunce@ferrum.edu



Ferrum College is pleased to announce the Wasena F. “Buddy” Wright Lecture Series is set for Monday, April 14th at 7:00 p.m. in Vaughn Chapel. This year’s lecturer is Sister Helen Prejean, an internationally known and leading advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. Sister Prejean is author of the best seller “Dead Man Walking” and the “Death of Innocents.” This lecture series is free and open to the public.

Sister Helen Prejean, a native of Louisiana, was instrumental in sparking national dialogue on the issue of the death penalty and in shaping the Catholic Church’s newly vigorous opposition to all state executions. Her crusade began in New Orleans in 1981 when she was asked to correspond with a death row inmate. Her correspondences with that inmate, along with visits and counseling sessions with other inmates on death row, gave Prejean a greater insight into the process involved in executions. She began speaking out against capital punishment and later wrote a book about her experiences. The book, called Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States, became a best seller, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and spawned an Oscar-winning movie and an internationally acclaimed opera.

Sister Helen Prejean’s lecture, “Dead Man Walking- The Journey Continues” will take place at 7 p.m. in Vaughn Chapel on the Ferrum College campus. Following her lecture, she will offer an autograph signing of her books, which will be on sale that evening.

The Wasena F. “Buddy” Wright Christian Ministry Lecture Series began at Ferrum College in 2004 in memory of former Ferrum College alumnus and Board of Trustee member, as well as, a United Methodist pastor and Council Director of the Virginia Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, Wasena “Buddy” Wright. The lecture series was established to bring prominent theologians, authors, and scholars to the Ferrum College campus. The lecture series takes place every two years. Our inaugural lecturer was the Rev. Dr. Martin E. Marty in 2004.

For more information contact the Office of Dean of the Chapel and Religious Life, Wes Astin, at 365-4286 or wastin@ferrum.edu