(Beaumont, Texas) Oct. 15, 2009 – As part of Lamar University’s Academic Lecture Series, Bob Love, former Chicago Bulls three-time NBA All-Star, will present a lecture on his motivational life story at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, in the University Theatre.
Love will also meet with Lamar students from 3 to 4 p.m. Oct. 26 in the University Theatre.
“The Academic Lecture Series, sponsored by the students of Lamar, gives the opportunity to bring people of national stature and particular academic interest to the campus to bring knowledge and insight to our community,” said Russ Schultz, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication. “Mr. Love’s talk will present his experiences to overcome the challenge of stuttering to become a national spokesperson. This is an area of particular interest to the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, which is part of our college, because they study this challenge in both children and adults. Mr. Love brings us a success story that very well may help others.”
Bob Love grew up in near poverty, with 13 brothers and sisters in a small Louisiana town. He dreamed of being a professional basketball player and practiced with a coat hanger hoop nailed to the side of his grandmother’s door.
Love played for the Chicago Bulls and led the team in scoring from 1969 to 1976. He ranks third in Bulls history in points scored, behind Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. He was a three-time NBA All-Star, scoring 12,623 points during his career.
Despite his great success as an athlete, Love never had an endorsement deal. He was unable to speak because of a stuttering problem that had affected him since childhood. A career-ending injury left him earning minimum wage washing dishes until a speech therapist helped him learn to speak without stuttering.
In 1992, the Chicago Bulls hired Love as director of community relations. He speaks to groups on behalf of the Bulls and shares his life story. On Jan. 14, 1994, the Bulls retired his jersey.
“This is really quite a remarkable achievement and why we in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences are so excited to see Mr. Love come to campus,” said Alana Mantie-Kozlowski, assistant professor of speech and hearing sciences. “People who stutter often have had so many negative interactions across their lifetime that any kind of public speaking can be paralyzing. We see a lot of patients with fluency disorders in the clinic, and, hopefully, Mr. Love can serve as a possibility of a role model for them.”
The fall Academic Lecture is hosted by the College of Fine Arts and Communication and is paid for by student service fees. There is no admission fee for the lecture and the public is invited to attend.
For more information, contact the Lamar University College of Fine Arts and Communication at (409) 880-8137.
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