AUSTIN, Texas —Ronald Kirk, the first African American mayor of Dallas, will discuss “The Rewards of Public Service” at a lecture Thursday (Sept. 7) at The University of Texas at Austin. The talk will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the Bates Recital Hall, located in the Music Building and Recital Hall on East Campus Drive.
A reception will follow in the Jamail Pavilion, John B. Connally Center for the Administration of Justice, UT Austin School of Law, located on Trinity Street. Both events are free and open to the public and are sponsored by the law school and the Center for Public Interest Law.
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars recently presented Kirk with the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service. He also has been named Man of the Year by the Texas Women’s Political Caucus. He is a member of the Austin College Board of Trustees and serves as chair of the board of the Hart Global Leaders Forum for Southern Methodist University.
Kirk is a partner with Gardere and Wynne, L.L.P., and on the board of directors for Brinker International. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from Austin College, and his law degree from the UT Austin School of Law in 1979. He has received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Austin College, the young Texas Ex Award from UT Austin and was named a member of the Order of the Coif by the UT law school. In addition, he received the Dallas Bar Association’s Martin Luther King Justice Award.
Kirk also has 15 years of legislative experience at local, state and federal levels. Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards appointed him the 98th Texas Secretary of State. He was a legislative aide to U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen and served as chairman of Texas’ General Services Commission. Kirk also has worked as the city of Dallas’ assistant city attorney and chief lobbyist.
For more information, contact Eden Harrington, executive director, UT School of Law, 232-7068.
