Pitt American Experience Program to Present a Lecture Featuring Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell

PITTSBURGH—Governor Edward Rendell of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will present an American Experience Distinguished Lecture at 7 p.m. May 27, hosted by the University of Pittsburgh Honors College's Office of Special Seminars in Benedum Hall's Benedum Auditorium, 3700 O'Hara St., Oakland.

The title of the by-invitation-only lecture is "Western Pennsylvania's Economic Future."

Pennsylvania's 45th governor, Rendell proposed The Plan for a New Pennsylvania when he took office in January 2003. Since he became governor, Rendell has initiated a number of economic programs, including historic increases in education funding, passage of an economic stimulus package to revitalize towns and communities, passage of legislation to reduce property taxes, and expansion of Pennsylvania's PACE and PACENET programs to provide senior citizens with prescription drug coverage.

Rendell served as the 121st mayor of Philadelphia from 1992 through 1999 and was elected Philadelphia's district attorney, serving for two terms from 1978 through 1985. He served as general chair of the Democratic National Committee during the 2000 presidential election, has been an active member on numerous boards, and teaches two government and political courses at the University of Pennsylvania.

An Army veteran, Rendell received the Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965 and the J.D. degree from Villanova Law School in 1968.

For more information on the American Experience program, visit www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/ae/.

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5/24/05/tmw