2015 Suwyn Family Lecture Series in Education
Introducing Wes Moore
Wes Moore’s life is both an inspiring story, and a cautionary tale. As a troubled youth growing up in the inner city, Moore’s life could have tumbled down a dangerous path. Fortunately a series of factors, including the transformative power of education coupled with faithful mentors, launched him towards success and eventually helped provide a powerful platform he now uses to change the lives of other troubled youth.
Moore first gained notoriety after penning his first book, The Other Wes Moore, which became an instant New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-seller. The story takes readers to the neighborhood where Moore grew up, which just happened to have another boy of the same name. However, today the “other Wes Moore” is in prison serving a life sentence, while Moore went on to be a host and executive producer of Beyond Belief on the Oprah Winfrey Network and the acclaimed Coming Back with Wes Moore on PBS.
Moore graduated Phi Theta Kappa from Valley Forge Military College and Phi Beta Kappa from Johns Hopkins University. Selected as a Rhodes Scholar, he completed a graduate degree in international relations at Oxford University and later was selected for a White House fellowship.
A decorated combat veteran, Moore served as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan. While attending Johns Hopkins, he founded STAND!, which pairs troubled teens with college mentors. His story has been featured by USA Today, People Magazine, Meet the Press, The Colbert Report, The View, MSNBC, and NPR.
Moore founded BridgeEdU, an innovative college platform that addresses the college completion and job placement crisis by reinventing the freshman year in a way that engages students in real-world internships and service-learning opportunities in addition to providing an academic foundation.
A popular speaker at college campuses across the country, Moore is committed to helping young people redirect their lives and supporting the parents, teachers, mentors, and volunteers who care for, and work with, our nation’s youth.
