FIU to host Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Oct. 28

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Florida’s 10th Congressional District representative in the U.S. House of Representatives and chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, will discuss “Security Challenges to U.S. Foreign Policy” during a lecture Friday, Oct. 28.

The event is part of the Ruth K. & Shepard Board Distinguished Lecture Series of the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and will take place at 1 p.m. in the College of Law, Room 1000.

The event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsors include the Department of Politics & International Relations, Middle East Society, Middle East Studies Program, European Studies Program, Miami-Florida European Union Center of Excellence, Jack D. Gordon Institute for Public Policy & Citizenship Studies, College of Law and Undergraduate Education.

Ros-Lehtinen, an FIU alumna, is the first Hispanic woman to serve in the U.S. Congress. Also, she was the first Hispanic woman to serve at the Florida State House of Representatives and at the Florida Senate.

A refugee from Cuba, Ros-Lehtinen began her career as a Florida certified teacher. She was inspired by her students and their parents to enter public service to fight on their behalf for a stronger education system, lower taxes a brighter economic future.

In the state legislature, she authored the Florida Prepaid College Plan, which is now the largest prepaid college tuition program in the nation. Serving on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ros-Lehtinen has become a leader in crafting U.S. foreign policy.

Prior to becoming the Committee’s Chairman, she served as Chair of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia, the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights, the Subcommittee on International Economic Policy and Trade, the Subcommittee on Africa and Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

For more information, call 305-348-7266.