Purdue University Northwest Sinai Forum features speaker who went from homeless to Harvard…and beyond

Purdue University Northwest Sinai Forum features speaker who went from homeless to Harvard…and beyond

WESTVILLE, Ind. -- The Purdue University Northwest (PNW) Sinai Forum will feature Liz Murray, a passionate advocate for underserved youth, at 4 p.m. CDT, Sunday, Oct. 6 in the James B. Dworkin Student Services and Activities Complex located at 1401 S. U.S. Highway 421 on the Westville Campus. The doors open at 3 p.m.

Liz Murray’s life is a triumph over adversity and a stunning example of the importance of dreaming big. She was raised in the Bronx by two loving, but drug-addicted parents. She grew up in poverty, often without enough food, was chronically absent from school and most of all struggled to connect her education to a viable future.

With the support of a neighbor and trusted family friend, Murray finished high school in just two years and was awarded a full scholarship to Harvard University, all while camping out in New York City parks and subway stations.

Today, as the co-founder and executive director of The Arthur Project, a mentoring program that works intensively with at-risk youth through the duration of middle school, Murray is working to end generational poverty through relationship-based learning. She believes that when it comes to a child facing even the most extreme adversity, it is having a relationship with at least one caring, dedicated adult that can make all the difference.

Hosting prominent speakers has been the cornerstone of PNW Sinai Forum’s renowned history.  Executive Director Leslie Plesac said the Forum provides audiences a unique opportunity to hear noted speakers in a town-hall-style format.

Sponsors

The Purdue University Northwest Sinai Forum is made possible through the generosity of its sponsors. Season sponsors are Urschel Laboratories, Inc., The Times Media Company, Blue Chip Casino, Hotel & Spa, and the Bankoff Family. Additional sponsors are the John W. Anderson Foundation, Horizon Bank, Healthcare Foundation of La Porte, The Herald-Argus and The News-Dispatch. Patron-level ticket holders are invited to attend pre-program receptions with the speakers. The receptions are sponsored by Blue Chip Casino, Hotel & Spa, Leonard J., and Irene Brown Foundation, Harbour Trust & Investment Management Company, La Porte Hospital, and HealthLinc, Inc.