Sheryl WuDunn, business woman, writer, and the first Asian-American reporter to win a Pulitzer Prize, served as the keynote speaker of the symposium series, addressing members of the SCU community as well as the public. Ms. WuDunn and her husband, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, co-authoredHalf the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a No.1 New York Times best-selling book about the challenges facing women around the globe. Their most recent book, A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity, focuses on global citizenship and making a difference through activism and philanthropy.
As part of her visit to Santa Clara University, Ms. WuDunn joined Public Health Program faculty members for lunch, participated in a roundtable discussion with students from a variety of academic disciplines, and met with community leaders who are bettering the health and wellbeing of the citizens of Santa Clara County.
According to Craig Stephens, former Director of the SCU Public Health Program and host for Ms. WuDunn's visit, "Ms. WuDunn and Mr. Kristof's writing has inspired many people to get more involved with grassroots organizations and social enterprises working in the U.S. and around the world to promote education and community health. They've been particularly dedicated to the empowerment of girls and women, and Sheryl's visit really generated a lot of discussion on campus around these topics, which is the point of the Valeriote Goldman Symposium."