March 26, 2007 -- John Brummett, columnist for the Arkansas News Bureau, will be the guest speaker for Arkansas State University's annual Paul Couch Lecture on Education.  The lecture will be Tuesday, April 3, at 7:00 p.m. in the Osage Room of the Student Union which is located on the third floor.  Free parking is available in the parking garage adjacent to the Student Union.

The lecture series is sponsored by the ASU chapter of Phi Delta Kappa and the College of Education.  A reception will follow the lecture.  Admission is free, and the public is welcome.

Brummett’s presentation is on “Education as Viewed by Journalist, Mentor and Citizen.”  He was attending the University of Central Arkansas when the Arkansas Gazette hired him as a reporter.  He later served as editor of Arkansas Times and also reported on politics for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette prior to joining Arkansas News Bureau, which is a Stephens Media Group Company based in Little Rock.

In addition to his award-winning newspaper and magazine work, Brummett wrote a book, “High Wire,” on President Clinton’s first year in office.  The Chicago Sun-Times review called it “the best book to date on the Clinton presidency – fresh and insightful.”

Established as a way to present outstanding speakers to the community, the series is named in honor of Dr. Paul Ellsworth Couch.  Couch joined the ASU faculty in 1945 and retired in 1972 after devoting 27 years to the university.

Couch was the first chairman of the Department of Education and the first dean of the Graduate School.  He was also the founding member and the first faculty adviser of the ASU chapter of Phi Delta Kappa.  Couch received the National Outstanding Educator award in 1971.

# # #