PFW announces lineup for 2023-24 lecture series, featuring ‘The Office’ star

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - Purdue University Fort Wayne (PFW) has announced the lineup for its 28th Annual Omnibus Speaker Series.

The free series features speakers who share their expertise in fields from national politics, artificial intelligence, breaking through barriers in the NFL, and lessons from the acting world.

The first lecturer in this year’s series is Rain Wilson, best known for his role as Dwight in “The Office.” He is set to speak on Thursday, September 21. The Emmy-nominated actor has “spent years exploring the ways we all seek connection, hope, truth, identity and purpose,” organizers say.

Tickets to see Wilson are available as of 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 and can be secured online or at the Schatzlein Box Office.

Cybersecurity expert and the first woman White House chief information officer Theresa Payton is set to speak on November 7, Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile will speak on Feb. 29, and the first woman NFL official Sarah Thomas will address attendees on March 26. The series will end with a lecture from award-winning historian Michael Beschloss on April 25.

All Omnibus appearances begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Auer Performance Hall. Tickets are free to the public and are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a limit of four tickets per person, and there is a $1.50 convenience fee per ticket for online orders.

To guarantee a seat, you are asked to reserve tickets in advance either online here or at the Schatzlein Box Office in the Auer Performance Hall lobby. Tickets are typically released two weeks before each presentation.

For more information on the series and the speakers, visit PFW’s website.