STILLWATER, Okla. - Renford Reese, human rights activist and nationally recognized author, is slated to speak to Oklahoma State University students and the public at Oklahoma State University on January 28 at 4 p.m in 317 Engineering South. Reese will address the issues of ethics and diversity as they relate national and international relationships in a presentation titled "The Colorful Flags Model: Developing Empathy and Cultural Competency."

Sponsored by the Puterbaugh Foundation and OSU Inclusion Leadership Program, the event is open to the public and is intended to bring cultural knowledge and motivation to people of all ages.

"I met Renford in South Africa in 2000," said Andrew Urich, associate professor of business and Puterbaugh professor in legal studies and ethics in the Spears School of Business. "He is a fascinating speaker and I believe he will be very inspirational to our students."

Reese grew up in McDonough, Ga., in the early 1970s where segregation was still apparent. At age 12, he recognized social inequality within his hometown and decided to dedicate his career to helping others understand the cultural and lingual differences within countries and among international relationships. As the creator of Colorful Flags, a program designed to diminish mistrust between ethnicities and develop human relations knowledge, Reese focuses on understanding cultural differences and helping others overcome racial barriers.

Currently, Reese serves as a professor in political science at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. In addition to his work as an instructor, Reese has written four books, a play turned short-film and traveled to 51 countries for research and lecture purposes. He continues studying ethnic conflicts in urban neighborhoods and uses his Colorful Flags program to educate others in hopes of creating mutual tolerance between races.

In addition to the January 28 presentation, Reese also will speak to the Inclusion Leadership Program High School Visitation Conference on January 29.

For more information on Renford Reese, visit his Web site at http://www.csupomona.edu/~rrreese/nonfla/index.html. For more information about the Spears School of Business, call 405-744-5064 or visit spears.okstate.edu.

Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system that cuts across disciplines to better prepare students for a new world. Oklahoma's only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world. The Spears School of Business is dedicated to the original land-grant vision of integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach.