'Men of Honor' Subject to Headline Fall Lecture Series

Carl Brashear, whose inspiring life story was recounted in the recent Bill Cosby-produced film, "Men of Honor," will speak at Pennsylvania College of Technology on Tuesday, Sept. 25, as part of the Fall 2001 Lecture Series, which begins Aug. 28.

Brashear, who was portrayed by actor Cuba Gooding Jr. in the popular motion picture, will be the second of four speakers in the series, offering a program entitled, "The Real Story Behind 'Men of Honor.'" Brashear became the Navy's first African-American Master Diver, overcoming a crippling injury and other obstacles. He continued to dive after losing half his leg during the recovery of a nuclear warhead in the Mediterranean Sea in 1966.

In 1998, Brashear became one of only seven enlisted men in history to be enshrined in the Naval Archives. A 164-page volume transcribes an oral history of his life and career.

Brashear's lecture begins at 8 p.m. in the Klump Academic Center auditorium. Admission is free, but tickets are required. The public may obtain tickets at the Student Activities information desk in the Bush Campus Center beginning on Sept. 4. The desk is staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The lecture series, which is sponsored by the Student Activities Office at Penn College, gets under way on Tuesday, Aug. 28, with a presentation by comedian and recovered anorexic Michelle Garb entitled, "Fat Brain/Skinny Body." Garb will rely on humor as she addresses the dangers of eating disorders and discusses prevention and recovery.

In addition, pamphlets will be distributed that describe the warning signs of eating disorders and list national resource centers and clinics for treatment.

On Tuesday, Oct. 30, Patricia Gagliardo, a world-renowned clairvoyant, medium, author and talk-show host, will present a Halloween lecture entitled, "Voices from Beyond." After a near-death experience, Gagliardo began having visions about future events and missing persons.

She has assisted police departments, government agencies and private individuals with searches for missing persons and criminals, participating in more than 400 cases. In her college appearances, Gagliardo reveals detailed information about audience members and shares her insights about possible career paths.

Rounding out the lecture series on Tuesday, Nov. 6, will be former Major League Baseball umpire Dave Pallone, author of "Behind the Mask: My Double Life in Baseball," a revealing look at baseball through the eyes of a gay man.

Pallone was the third-youngest umpire in baseball history and worked as a professional umpire for 18 years, 10 with the National Baseball League. In addition to speaking on college campuses on diversity issues, Pallone serves as a diversity trainer for corporations and has been a frequent keynote speaker at conferences. He has provided more than 700 interviews for the broadcast and print media.

All of the Fall 2001 Lecture Series programs will begin at 8 p.m. The Brashear and Gagliardo lectures will be held in the Academic Center auditorium; the Garb and Pallone lectures will be presented at Penn's Inn on the second floor of the Campus Center. The lectures are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact the Student Activities Office at Penn College at (570) 327-4537, or visit on the Web .