Retired four-star U.S. Navy Admiral and author Jim Stavridis will be the featured speaker at the University of South Carolina Upstate’s sixth annual Dr. John B. Edmunds, Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series. The event will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, in the Humanities and Performing Arts Center (HPAC) Theater at 170 Gramling Drive in Spartanburg.

Stavridis, a native of West Palm Beach, Fla., was considered for a cabinet position with President Donald Trump’s administration and as a potential vice presidential running mate for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.

He attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and served for 37 years in the Navy. For four years, Stavridis served as the 16th Supreme Allied Commander at NATO. He oversaw operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and the Balkans, and led efforts to halt piracy off the coast of Africa.

“Admiral James Stavridis provides unparalleled insight into some of the most important questions facing our country’s foreign and military policies,” said Rob McCormick, interim dean of USC Upstate’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. “From issues in the South China Sea to cooperation within NATO, Admiral Stavridis has unique perspective about the challenges that Americans face around the globe.”

Stavridis spent almost three years as the head of U.S. Southern Command in Miami and was responsible for military operations throughout Latin America. He retired from the Navy in 2013 as the longest-serving combatant commander in recent U.S. history.

Following his military career, Stavridis spent five years as the dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where he also earned his Ph.D.

Stavridis won the Battenberg Cup for commanding the top ship in the Atlantic Fleet and earned the Navy League John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational Leadership, along with more than 50 domestic and international medals and decorations. He has authored eight books and serves as a columnist for Time Magazine and chief international security analyst for NBC News.

“The Edmunds Lecture Series brings leaders and thinkers of international acclaim to Spartanburg to speak on compelling topics of great national interest,” said Chris Crowley, a USC Upstate alum and member of the Edmunds Lecture Series planning committee. “As a career naval officer and the former supreme commander of NATO, Admiral Stavridis possesses unique insights into the challenges the world faces today.”

Tickets, which include a reception at 5:30 p.m., are $50 for the general public. They are available now at www.uscupstate.edu/edmundsseries.

For more information on how you can support the Edmunds Lecture Series, please contact University Advancement, at 864-503-5234 or advancement@uscupstate.edu.

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