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SALEM, MA – ����ֱ�� will bring two influential speakers to campus as part of the long-running Salem State Series. Sam Kennedy, president of the reigning World Series Champions, the Boston Red Sox, will take the stage on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Later this year, Emmy-winning television producer, Rebecca Eaton, with recent hits "Sherlock", "Victoria" and "Downton Abbey" – the most-watched drama in PBS history – will appear on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, with Jared Bowen of WGBH serving as moderator.

����ֱ��’s public lecture series celebrates 37 years of bringing influential speakers to the North Shore, including Tom Brady, Jay Leno, President George H.W. Bush, Maya Angelou, and John Legend.

Sam Kennedy will speak at ����ֱ��’s Twohig Gymnasium at the O’Keefe Complex, while Rebecca Eaton’s lecture will be at ����ֱ��’s Sophia Gordon Center. Tickets for both events will go on sale Wednesday, March 6 at 10 am at or by calling 978.542.7555. Salem State faculty, staff and students may purchase in advance of the general public on Tuesday, March 5 by calling 978.542.7555 or visiting the Series Box Office at 331 Lafayette Street, second floor between 10 am-4 pm.

About Sam Kennedy

Sam Kennedy is entering his 18th season with the club and his third as president and chief executive officer. In addition to his role with the Red Sox, Kennedy also acts as chief executive of Fenway Sports Management, a sports marketing and sales agency that is a sister company to the Red Sox under the Fenway Sports Group family. Along with leading the Boston team to victory, Kennedy has focused on providing entertainment for the Boston area. He was instrumental in the transformation of Fenway Park into a year-round venue, including concerts, hockey, soccer, football and even a “Big Air” skiing and snowboarding competition.

Kennedy was named one of the Boston Business Journal's 40 under 40 Award recipients, which recognizes 40 of Boston's best and brightest young professionals. In 2008, 2010, and 2013, Kennedy was selected as one of Sports Business Journal's Forty under 40 Award recipients and inducted into the publication's Hall of Fame. Kennedy is considered one of the most influential and creative young professionals in the business of sports.

About Rebecca Eaton

Rebecca Eaton took the helm of the PBS series Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery! in 1985, and later oversaw a highly successful relaunch of Masterpiece which attracted a new generation of viewers. She has brought American audiences Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall, the recent hits Victoria, Sherlock, Poldark, and Downton Abbey — the most-watched drama in PBS history — as well as such high-profile titles as Grantchester, Prime Suspect, Wallander, Cranford, Little Dorrit, and The Complete Jane Austen. Under her leadership, Masterpiece has won 62 Primetime Emmy Awards, 16 Peabody Awards, six Golden Globes, and two Academy Award nominations. In 2011, Eaton was named one of TIME's 100 most influential people. Her distinguished career has earned her the official recognition of Queen Elizabeth II with an honorary OBE (Officer, Order of the British Empire).

In September, Eaton will be joined by �³ҵ���’s Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen, the Emmy award-winning host of the weekly television series, “Open Studio with Jared Bowen,” which takes viewers inside the creative process, offering a blend of profiles, performances and contemporary exhibitions by artists in Greater Boston, New England, and across the country.

Purchasing Tickets

Starting Wednesday, March 6 at 10 am, tickets to both 2019 Salem State Series events may be purchased through the Series website at salemstate.edu/series or by calling 978.542.7555. Price categories are as follows:

• Premium Subscription $120 (Premium seats at each event and entered to win VIP dinner and photo with speakers)
• General Admission Subscription $50 (Ticket to each event; back floor sections for Kennedy and Balcony for Eaton)
• Single Event Ticket Premium $70
• Single Event Ticket General Admission $25
• Single Event Ticket Salem State Student $10

About the Salem State Series

Founded in 1982 as one of the first high-profile speaker series in the country, the Salem State Series has hosted countless world leaders, artists, athletes, and intellectuals on its North Shore campus. Over the years, thousands of patrons have come to Salem State to hear what Series speakers have to say on a wide variety of subjects. A self-supporting community enrichment program presented through the generous and dedicated support of corporate and individual sponsors alike, the Series is but one facet of the university's public education mission.

The Series, presented under the auspices of the ����ֱ�� Foundation, is pleased to have Denorabilia, LLC as its longtime presenting sponsor. A full list of sponsors and past speakers can be found at .

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����ֱ��, established in 1854, is a comprehensive, public institution of higher learning located approximately 15 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. One of the largest state universities in the Commonwealth, Salem State enrolls more than 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students. It offers 32 undergraduate programs and graduate programs that offer degrees in 24 fields. The university also has a continuing education division that offers both credit and non-credit programs. Known for the academic strength of its faculty, Salem State was named a Top Producer of U.S. Fulbright Scholars in 2011 and for the 2016-2017 academic year. The university is designated a Top College and University by Military Advanced Education and a Best for Vets College by Military Times. Salem State proudly participates in the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement and has shown a student voting rate well above the national average, earning the university a silver seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.