Omnibus tickets for Michael Steele now available; Monica Lewinsky lecture rescheduled for April 5

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Tickets for “The Political Scene According to Steele” by Michael Steele, Purdue University Fort Wayne’s next presenter in its 2021–22 Omnibus Speaker Series, will be available on campus beginning at 1:30 p.m. today. Steele will appear Thursday, Feb. 17, in Rhinehart Music Center's 1,500-seat Auer Performance Hall at 7:30 p.m.; doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Steele is a witty, engaging, and savvy political observer. His experiences as Maryland’s lieutenant governor, as a candidate for the U.S. Senate, and as the former chair of the Republican National Committee make him an excellent guide through the fast-paced world of politics.

To guarantee a seat, tickets should be reserved in advance, either online through the university’s website or at the Schatzlein Box Office in the Rhinehart Music Center lobby. The tickets are free on a first-come, first-served basis. The limit is four per person. A $1.50 convenience charge is assessed per ticket for online orders.

All tickets reserved online will automatically be emailed to patrons and can be printed at their convenience. Digital tickets accessible via smartphone are another option to help avoid standing in line at the box office on the night of the show. Tickets can also be picked up in person beginning one hour before the presentation at the Schatzlein Box Office.

Steele made history in 2003 when he was elected lieutenant governor of Maryland, becoming the first African American voted in to state office. He repeated this groundbreaking achievement in 2009 when he became chair of the RNC. He is currently a senior advisor for the Lincoln Project, a bipartisan coalition built in opposition to Donald Trump.

A political analyst for MSNBC, Steele has appeared on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. 

Steele is a graduate of the Georgetown Law Center, an Aspen Institute Rodel fellow in Public Leadership, a University of Chicago Institute of Politics fellow, and currently a senior fellow at Brown University’s Institute for International and Public Affairs.

In other Omnibus series news, Monica Lewinsky’s lecture “The Price of Shame” has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 5. Originally scheduled for Jan. 25, Lewinsky’s visit was postponed due to the current spike in COVID-19 cases in Indiana and nationwide, and to ensure as safe of an experience as possible for patrons.

Go to Omnibus to learn more about the speakers for the 2021–22 season.

Note to editors: An on-campus media availability with Steele is scheduled for Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. in the Idea Space on the main level of Helmke Library. Members of the media are also invited to stay and observe an hour-long session with Steele and Purdue Fort Wayne students that will begin at 4:30 p.m. A follow-up advisory with additional details is scheduled for distribution Feb. 15. 

For additional information, contact Geoff Thomas at [email protected] or 260-437-7657 (mobile).