Actor, producer and White House aide Kal Penn will be the speaker for the Indian Cultural Dinner at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at Illinois State University’s Brown Ballroom in the Bone Student Center.
Tickets are available until Friday, March 28, by going online to Housing.IllinoisState.edu. Tickets are $18.93 for the public, $15 for Illinois State faculty, staff and students without a meal plan, or one meal swipe for students with meal plans.
Well known for his role as Lawrence Kutner on the television show House, and as Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar movie series, Penn is also passionate about civic engagement. He is the associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, and also serves on the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, where he is liaison to young Americans as well as Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
With an educational background that includes the University of California, Los Angeles, and Stanford University, Penn taught as an adjunct lecturer in Asian American Studies, Film Studies and Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. He also worked on the campaigns for President Barack Obama in a variety of roles, including the National Arts Policy Committee.
In his travels across the country, Penn encourages Millennials to remain civically engaged regardless of their beliefs. In honor of Penn’s heritage, the evening will also feature Indian cuisine and music.
The event is sponsored by University Housing Services, the Harold K. Sage Foundation and the Illinois State University Fund, with support from Campus Dining Services, the Association of Residence Halls, Watterson Area Government, Watterson Diversity Coalition and the Office of International Studies and Programs.
For additional information, contact University Housing Services at (309) 438-8611, or go online to Housing.IllinoisState.edu.
