BLOOMINGTON –  Richard Dreyfuss, Oscar-winning actor and political and social activist will capstone the annual O’Bannon Institute for Community Service with a conversation on Friday, April 8 at 2:30 p.m. in the Ivy Tech Bloomington main campus student commons. The capstone conversation will follow a full day of panel conversations focused on this year’s theme of “Getting Back to the Basics: Jobs, Education and Community.”

Husband and wife political strategists James Carville and Mary Matalin will headline the eighth annual O’Bannon Institute for Community Service fundraising dinner on Thursday, April 7 and tickets are still available. Proceeds benefit the Ivy Tech Center for Civic Engagement.

Additionally, Ivy Tech students, faculty and staff will participate in a Day of Service in our communities on Thursday, April 7 to kick off Institute events. On Wednesday, April 6, Ivy Tech Bloomington will hold a civic engagement awards ceremony on the main campus to recognize faculty, staff and community partners for excellence in volunteerism.

Dreyfuss is a champion of education, actively involved in enriching the curriculum. He is working with educators to teach students the fundamental tool of logic, reason, debate, dissent and civility in hopes of engaging a new generation in the democratic process. As a student of history, he shares his excitement about what it really means to be an American, where we came from, and where we are going as a nation.

Matalin served as an adviser to former President George W. Bush, while Carville was a key strategist in the election of former President Bill Clinton. Today, these best-selling authors both host radio programs and are serving as the host committee co-chairs for the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans.

The O’Bannon Institute launched eight years ago by Ivy Tech’s Bloomington campus is an annual opportunity for the community to come together to discuss topics related to nonprofits, education and political and civic service. Previous speakers at the Institute have included former U.S. Senators, Pulitzer prize-winning authors, Governors, political advisers and columnists, and Laura W. Bush, the former First Lady of the United States.

Those interested in attending the O’Bannon Institute fundraising dinner featuring Carville and Matalin, should contact Tina Phelps, Assistant to the Chancellor, at (812) 330-6001 or tphelps@ivytech.edu to purchase their seats. Tickets are $100 per person.

Admission for Friday Institute panels and conversation at Ivy Tech is with a canned good or cash contribution for Hoosier Hills Food Bank. Reservations are requested. Contact Tina Phelps at 330-6001 to RSVP.  

O’Bannon Institute information can be found online at http://obannon.ivytech.edu.

About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system serving nearly 200,000 students annually.  Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.