This summer, Student Government began brainstorming notable speakers to participate in its thought-provoking "What Matters to U" speaker series for the upcoming year. At the same time, the entire world was glued to their televisions watching the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Women’s World Cup taking place in France. That is when inspiration struck.
Due to her intersectionality of sports and social issues, Student Government will host Megan Rapinoe, two-time World Cup champion and co-captain of the United States women’s national soccer team, on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. in the Donna E. Shalala Student Center.
“When we think about the speakers we invite for ‘What Matters to U,’ we look for more than just star power,” said James Lai, a UM junior and chair of SG’s Student Engagement Planning Agency. “They also have to have substance.”
To anyone following the tournament, and even those who weren’t, Rapinoe was a presence on and off the field. In addition to helping lead the United States women’s national soccer team to a World Cup championship, scoring some of the biggest goals along the way, Rapinoe was also a vocal advocate for closing the gender pay gap and ensuring equal rights for members of the LGBTQ community.
“Most importantly, we hope that students become more educated about the variety of issues Megan speaks about,” added Lai. “We hope that ‘What Matters to U’ exposes students to various new perspectives and ideas.”
Like previous ‘What Matters to U’ events, which featured Bill Nye “The Science Guy” and actor Ken Jeong, Rapinoe’s remarks will be moderated by a current student as well as a University staff member. Shirelle Jackson, senior associate athletic director for student-athlete development, will serve as the staff moderator and Claudia Delorenzo, a senior majoring in neuroscience, will serve as the student moderator. Delorenzo looks forward to asking Rapinoe about her experience “coming out” in her professional life.
“With National Coming Out Day taking place a day after our event, I am eager for Megan to share any advice she has for students who may be struggling with their own identities or are facing adversity from others,” she said. “And I think students, particularly female students, students of color, and LGBTQ+ students, will be interested to hear Megan discuss how she has integrated social activism into her career.”
Tickets to the event are available for undergraduate, graduate, medical and law students and can be claimed beginning Wednesday, Oct. 2. Tickets are required to attend, however, a ticket does not guarantee admission as seating is filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
More information, including how to claim a ticket, is available at sg.miami.edu/wmtu.
