Former first lady Laura Bush will speak at Georgia Southern University on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. at Hanner Fieldhouse.

“This is an exciting opportunity to welcome Laura Bush to our campus as she shares with our students and our community her journey from teaching in a public school to becoming the first lady of the United States,” Teresa Thompson, Ph.D., vice president of student affairs and enrollment management said in a news release.

“Mrs. Bush is a devoted advocate for a number of issues including education, and her message on leadership should inspire anyone who hears her,” Thompson said in the news release.

Bush has traveled the U.S. and the world as an advocate for issues in education, health care and human rights. She currently serves as Chair of the Women’s Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute and continues working on global health care innovations, education reform, empowering women in emerging democracies and supporting America’s veterans.

The leadership lectures series was created to allow students to hear from influential leaders from around the world.

GSU’s Leadership Lecture Series has included a number of well-known leaders and influencers including former President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter, former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice, political consultants James Carville and Mary Matalin and former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani.

“The Series has never been about showcasing people, but is about providing opportunities for our students, faculty, staff and the entire community to glean leadership wisdom from those who have practiced leadership in the public eye,”  Todd Deal, Ph.D., director of the Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement, said in the news release.

Information on dates and locations to pick up complimentary tickets to “An Evening with Laura Bush” will be released later this month.