Contact: Public Relations
(863) 680-4118

Patrick Smith, Florida author, 
to speak at FSC's Florida Lecture Series

LAKELAND, Fla. (Feb. 20, 2004) - Florida Southern College's Center for Florida History welcomes Patrick D. Smith, a writer from Merritt Island, Fla., to the Florida Lecture Series March 4. The lecture will start at 7 p.m. in the Branscomb Auditorium. Preceding the lecture, FSC will hold a fundraising dinner, at which Smith will speak briefly. The dinner takes place at 5:30 p.m. in the Alumni Center of the Charles T. Thrift Jr. Building. 

"We are excited to have Patrick Smith speak on 'Florida, A Land Remembered,' said James M. Denham, Director of the FSC Center for Florida History. "Mr. Smith has written novels that open our eyes to the plight of the often-overlooked groups of our population. He brings to the literary world a valued writing that presents truth without the sensationalism of many novels. His belief 'that writers should not only entertain but should also use their talent to illuminate the unfortunate and unjust things in life and to thus enlighten the human heart' is evident in his writings. What a way to conclude our Florida Lecture Series for this season: dinner and a lecture with Patrick D. Smith!" 

A native of Mississippi, Smith, is considered one of Florida's greatest writers of fiction. An author of international acclaim, Smith has written eight novels including, "The River is Home," "The Beginning," "Forever Island," "Angel City," "Allapattah," and perhaps his most well-known book, "A Land Remembered." Smith's novels have been translated into many languages and have been produced into movies and screen plays. During his long literary career Smith has earned many awards and commendations, including nominations for Pulitzer and Nobel prizes. He has won the Gold Medal of the International Mark Twain Society, the Canadian Fiction Award, and the Southern Academy of Letters, Arts, and Sciences Literary Award. In 2002 the Florida Historical Society named Smith the "Greatest Living Floridian." Smith lives in Merritt Island, Florida. He enjoys boating, gardening, and exploring wildlife.

Tickets for the fundraising dinner are $25. Proceeds will benefit the Center for Florida History and the Christina Rotary Club's Common Ground Playground. For further information on the dinner, contact Geri Sparks at 863-680-3001. 


About the Florida Lecture Series 
The Florida Lecture Series is produced by the Center for Florida History and sponsored by the FSC Alumni Association, the Robert and Rose Stahl Criminology Lecture Series, and the Robert W. and Susan E. McKnight Political Affairs Lecture Series. The program brings speakers to the Lakeland campus who approach the issue of "Florida Life and Culture" from a wide range of disciplines, including history, public affairs, law, sociology, criminology, anthropology, literature, music and art. Its overall objective is to create an opportunity for members of the community, faculty, and student body to listen to, interact with and learn from leading scholars and specialists of the state's history and culture. 


About Florida Southern College
Florida Southern is a four-year, private, co-educational liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The college offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and a master of business administration degree accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Located in Lakeland, Fla., the college is home to the largest, single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world.

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