STARKVILE, Miss.--The internationally recognized "shoe giver" and founder of TOMS Shoes Inc. will speak Feb. 22 at Mississippi State.
Blake Mycoskie will lead the 2010 Dorothy Garrett Martin Lectureship in Values and Ethics, a recurring event sponsored by the university chapter of Delta Gamma social sorority.
"New Rules for Tomorrow's Business: A Guide to Making a Difference in the World" will be the topic for his free 8 p.m. presentation in Humphrey Coliseum.
Martin lectureships are outreach efforts launched several years go by the national Delta Gamma Foundation, with support from the Paul Martin family of Akron, Ohio. Held at MSU and other campuses, they seek to educate students and local community members on the value and importance of ethical conduct in their personal and professional lives.
With the promise to give a pair of new shoes to children in need for every pair sold, Mycoskie has sought to revolutionize consumers shopping traits, while promoting social consciousness.
"After our members took an interest in TOMS, we saw an opportunity to draw awareness to the cause beyond just wearing the shoes to class," said DG chapter president Erica Kyle. "His message of 'doing good by doing well' surely will inspire others as it has us."
So far, Mycoskie, a 32-year-old California entrepreneur, has led his business in providing more than 600,000 pairs of new shoes to needy children around the world, the Germantown, Tenn., senior added.
The campus lectureship was established in 2002 with a $100,000 DG chapter donation to the MSU Foundation. Previous speakers included wild animal expert Jeff Corwin; Christopher Gardner, the rags-to-riches businessman featured in the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness"; and Steve Ford, son of U.S. President Gerald Ford and an advocate for substance abuse awareness.
For more information, telephone Jessica Hubbard at 662-323-5158.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.
