Colin Powell to address challenges of a changing world at IU

Scheduled just days before the presidential election, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and retired Army Gen. Colin Powell will speak at 4 p.m., Nov. 3 at the IU Auditorium, Union Board announced Tuesday.\nPowell's lecture, "Challenges of a Changing World," will focus on issues concerning America's youth and not the election, said Union Board public relations director Vaughn Allen, a junior.\nPowell is chairman of America's Promise since 1997, an organization committed to "pulling together the might of America's companies, public service groups and children's service providers; their talents and their resources, to strengthen kids," Powell said on the group's Web site. "Not just their minds and bodies, but their character as well."\nUnion Board lectures director Carrie Smith said Powell is a man who represents "the great American" for many young people.\n"For a lot of us, especially people in our age group, we remember the Gulf War, and we remember him from the Gulf War," Smith said. "He made everyone remember how proud they were to be an American and what they stand for."\nLt. Col. Wayne Pollard, a military science professor, said Powell, a product of the Reserve Officer Training Corps, is a self-made man who is an inspiration. While he could have gone into the corporate world after leaving government, he decided to fulfill his philanthropic interests, Pollard said.\n"He just shows you that the sky's the limit," Pollard said. "He has a way to really turn on an audience. He has optimism that really is uncommon, and the interesting aspect is he really is the antithesis of a military personality ... Colin Powell is known as a warm, compassionate, empathetic leader." \nSmith said Union Board lists Powell as one of its top choices every semester to come speak to students but until the IU Foundation also expressed interest in bringing him to campus, Union Board had not been successful.\nBarbara Coffman, director of planning and communications for the IU Foundation, said IU is lucky to have Powell as a speaker.\n"Union Board has wanted Colin Powell forever, and we're very fortunate because the timing coincides well with an event we're having to honor people who have been very supportive of the University," she said. "We were able to schedule it so it worked for us and it worked for Union Board."\nCoffman said the Foundation's event will be a private dinner for IU donors and other important people to the University, although she could not name those attending. She said Powell will also give a short speech at the dinner in addition to the lecture at the Auditorium.\n"I think he's just an outstanding individual who has been incredibly successful ... and has a broad vision and a commitment to philanthropy in a very big way," Coffman said. "All of his work with America's Promise shows a commitment to young people and that's very impressive"