Noted Attorney to Deliver
Professionals Symposium Address

An Ithaca College alumnus who has made frequent television appearances as a legal and political commentator will deliver the keynote address at the 15th annual Professionals Symposium. Attorney Keith Watters ’76 will speak at the sym-posium’s awards ban-quet, scheduled for 6:30–9:30 p.m. on Satur-day, September 30, in the Emerson Suites, Phillips Hall. Tickets for the banquet are available to the public and may be purchased in advance or at the door; for ticket information call 274-3194.

Watters founded his own Washington, D.C., firm, Keith Watters & Associates, in 1980. He served on several committees investigating racial and gender bias in the court system, prompting the National Association of Black Women Attorneys to give him its Achievement Award in both 1990 and 1994. While serving in 1995–96 as president of the National Bar Association—an organization representing African Americans in the legal profession—he became a sought-after media commentator on news stories with racial reverberations. His knowledge of the political and legal landscape of the nation’s capital made him a popular television guest when the Monica Lewinsky scandal captured the public’s attention.

In 1996 Ebony magazine named Watters one of the top 100 most influential African Americans. This past February he was elected to a four-year term on the Ithaca College Board of Trustees.

Titled "Mentoring for a Multi-cultural Millennium," the Professionals Symposium is sponsored by the Offices of Opportunity Programs, Alumni Relations, Career Services, and Multicultural Affairs, with partial funding from the New York State Education
Department. It is intended to provide a weekend during which students can meet and network with alumni and supporters of the Ithaca Opportunity Program (IOP), Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), and Collegiate Science and Technology Entrance Program (CSTEP). The Saturday schedule will include a series of career panels by alumni.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn from those who have gone before them," says Roger Richardson, director of the Office of Multi-cultural Affairs. "And by sharing their experiences, our alumni help ensure that the next generation of graduates has a head start on their future career endeavors."

The HEOP recently joined the IOP under the auspices of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, with Richardson overseeing both operations. "We will continue to emphasize academic success for HEOP students and maintain close ties with the Office of the Provost," says Richardson.
"At the same time, the move will help facilitate the strong integration of academic and student affairs resources on behalf of our students."