Award-winning social entrepreneur, national speaker and founder of Barbershop Books Alvin Irby will deliver the 2018 Thomas J. Volpe Lecture titled "Social Entrepreneurship: Creating a Business that Makes a Difference" at St. Francis College on October 10^th at 12:20 p.m.

Irby's lecture will draw on his own experience of creating a program that builds out child-friendly reading spaces in barbershops with early literacy training to barbers across America.

"I started Barbershop Books simply by researching and testing my idea, taking a risk, and most of all, believing in my passion," said Irby. "With this lecture series, I'll be sharing my expertise – all the successes and challenges – so that the students of St. Francis College will leave knowing that with confidence and commitment, they can truly make a difference. Tackling social issues can be a difficult path but by embracing their passion, the struggle is worth it."

Now in its 21^st year, the Volpe Lecture Series is made possible by Thomas J. Volpe, Chairman Emeritus of SFC's College Board of Trustees, and is intended to introduce students to new opportunities in a world affected by ever-changing cultural and economic pressures.

"Mr. Irby joins a long list of distinguished speakers and is a perfect fit because of his commitment to learning, leadership in the community and passion toward engaging actively in social issues," said Dr. Jennifer Lancaster, Vice President for Academic Affairs at SFC.

Past speakers, including Supreme Court Justice Sonja Sotomayor and Neil deGrasse Tyson, have brought firsthand knowledge and creativity on various global topics, including finance, education, culture, politics, and more to inspire the next generation of global leaders.

The Volpe Lecture is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register or learn more about this event, contact the SFC Office of Special Events at [email protected].

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St. Francis College, 180 Remsen Street, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201
www.sfc.edu