Venus Williams to Headline Next Distinguished Lectures Series

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Venus Williams

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Venus Williams, American tennis professional, equality advocate, and fashion genius, will deliver a moderated Q&A as part of the Distinguished Lectures Committee's series at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12, at Bud Walton Arena. 

The event is free and open to the public. Doors will open at 6 p.m. at the south entrance only.  Any questions about the event should be directed towards Distinguished Lectures Committee chair Michael Fuhrman at lectures@uark.edu. 

ABOUT VENUS WILLIAMS

With seven Grand Slam titles, five Wimbledon championships and four Olympic gold medals, tennis champion Venus Williams is arguably one of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports. Not only a force on the court, Williams parlayed her fine-tuned business acumen with her healthy competitive spirit into two successful design ventures: V Starr, a full-service commercial and residential design firm, and fashion-forward lifestyle and activewear brand, EleVen by Venus Williams. Most recently, Venus served as an Executive Producer on the Warner Brothers Oscar-winning biopic King Richard, which detailed the influence her father and coach, Richard Williams, had on her as she became a tennis icon and changed the sport for generations to come.

Throughout her career, Williams has been a steadfast advocate for equality. In 2006, UNESCO, the United Nations’ cultural organization, titled her as the first “Promoter of Gender Equality.’ In 2007 it was her unwavering fight which led Wimbledon to award women players the same pay as their male counterparts and most recently in 2021, she launched an awareness initiative called the #PrivilegeTax in conjunction with EleVen to bring attention to the wage inequality and unveiled a platform of resources for individuals to get inspired and address the issue on a grassroots level. 

Danyelle Musselman will be the moderator for the discussion. Musselman has an extensive background working in sports broadcasting with years of experience in anchoring, hosting and reporting.  

Most recently, she worked for the NFL Network where she served as an update anchor and as the host of "Up to the Minute." She also served as the host for Yahoo Sports, and as an anchor for Fox Sports Net. In addition, Musselman worked as a sideline reporter for FOX Sports NFL games and spent two years anchoring various programs on ESPN and ESPNews. Musselman is the Co-Chair of the Coaches vs Cancer Wives & Friends team, and serves as the Market Chair for the Make a Wish Foundation Mid-South Region. Musselman is married to current Arkansas Men’s Basketball coach Eric Musselman. They share three children, Michael (25), Matthew (20), and Mariah (11).

The University of Arkansas Police Department will be responsible for traffic flow and security at all of the evening’s events. Special security measures will be in place at Bud Walton Arena for the lecture. Each person entering the arena will be required to pass through a security checkpoint, and attendees should allow extra time for security procedures.

This event will follow the University of Arkansas Department of Athletics policy on items that are not allowed in the lecture venue and can be found on the Arkansas Razorbacks website.

PROHIBITED ITEMS

Alcoholic beverages, baby seats/carriers/baby strollers, backpacks, bags of any kind, except when used for medical or childcare needs, beach balls, inflatable toys or laser pointers, coolers, ice chests or thermal containers, explosives, guns, knives or weapons, folding chairs or stools, food and beverages, noisemakers of any type, personal heaters, signs and banners of any kind, tobacco of any kind including e-cigarettes, umbrellas, video cameras, selfie sticks, drones and pets.

PERMITTED ITEMS

The athletics department’s clear bag policy will be in effect for this event and is intended to enhance public safety while minimizing time spent searching bags at gate security checkpoints.

Each attendee is permitted to bring in only one clear bag and/or a small clutch purse. Those attending are encouraged to arrive early, know which items are prohibited and avoid bringing a bag, if at all possible.

All clear bags and clutch purses will be screened prior to entry. All bags and purses not meeting the above requirements will not be permitted. Although permitted, childcare items, including diapers, must also be carried in an approved clear bag.

This event is sponsored by the Distinguished Lectures Committee through the Office of Student Activities and is supported by the Student Activities Fee. For questions or for accommodations due to disability, please contact the Office of Student Activities at osa@uark.edu or call 479-575-5255. The Distinguished Lectures Committee is a program in the Division of Student Affairs.

About the Division of Student Affairs: The Division of Student Affairs supports students in pursuing knowledge, earning a degree, finding meaningful careers, exploring diversity, and connecting with the global community. We provide students housing, dining, health care resources, and create innovative programs that educate and inspire. We enhance the U of A experience and help students succeed, one student at a time.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research News.