Alan Page, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and NFL Hall of Famer, to Speak at William Paterson University

Alan C. Page, an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, who uses the recognition he earned as a Hall of Fame pro football star to encourage young students of color to succeed in college, will speak as part of William Paterson University’s Distinguished Lecturer Series on February 1 at 8 p.m. in Shea Center on the campus in Wayne.

A limited number of single tickets may be available at the Shea Center Box Office on January 31. For ticket availability, and to purchase single tickets, please call the box office at 973-720-2371 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.; prices are $26 standard; $24 for senior citizens, William Paterson faculty, staff and alumni; $10 for William Paterson students; and $14 for students from other schools.

Page was appointed to the court in 1993 after serving as assistant attorney general from 1987 to 1993, and special assistant attorney general from 1985 to 1987 in the Employment Law Division. Previously, he was an associate in the firm of Lindquist & Vennum. Prior to his career in the law, Page was a star professional football player with the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears from 1967-1981. He was named the National Football League’s Most Valuable Player in 1971, becoming the first defensive player to ever win the award. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. Page played professional ball during his law studies.

Since education played a large role in his life, he is committed to helping minority students realize the value of a college degree. To that end, he established the Page Education Foundation in 1988. The foundation’s mission is to encourage Minnesota’s youth of color to continue their education beyond high school through a combination of scholarships, mentoring and a service-to-children program. This year, there are 450 Page Scholars who work with elementary school students as tutors, mentors and role models.

William Paterson's Distinguished Lecturer Series is presented by the William Paterson University Foundation, the Student Government Association and the Student Activities Programming Board. Distinguished Partners include: Automatic Data Processing, Inc., and Merck & Co., Inc. Benefactors include: BAE SYSTEMS-CNI; Daimler Chrysler; Interchange Bank; Nicholas Martini Foundation; Pfizer; PSE&G; Record/Herald News; Tyco Capital; and the William Paterson University Alumni Association. Patrons include: Aventis Pharmaceuticals; Bacon & Graham; Castrol; Hoffman-La Roche, Inc.; Uniqema/Paterson; and Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Sponsors include: AAA-NJ Automobile Club; Becton Dickinson & Co.; Bograd’s; Bristol-Myers Squib; Commerce Bank; The Dime Savings Bank of New York, FSB; Barbara and Robert Evans; Facile Holdings, Inc.; Joan and Robert Ferris; First Institutional Securities, LLC; Gerber & Samson, Attorneys; ITT Avionics; JVC Americas Corp.; McBride Enterprises, Inc.; Minolta; The Opper Group; Passaic County Educational Council; Resort Condominiums International, A Cendant Company; Leon and Paula Rosenblum; Daryl and Stephen Roth; State Farm Insurance Companies; Toshiba America Consumer Products, Inc.; United Water New Jersey; United Yarn Products Company, Inc.; Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company; and Verizon.

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1/15/02
For Further Information, contact:

Mary Beth Zeman, Director, Public Relations 973-720-2966