Laura Archer to speak on January 19

Laura Archer, a nurse with the international humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), will be the first presenter in a new speakers' series that features three inspiring alumni of the University of Prince Edward Island. The series is organized by the UPEI Student Union.

Doctors Without Borders delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed conflict, natural or man-made disasters, epidemics, and exclusion from healthcare. Since 2006, Archer has helped to deliver medical programs in several African countries including the Central African Republic and Chad. She became a household name around the world in March 2009 when she was kidnapped, along with three other aid workers, while working in the Darfur region of Sudan. They were released after three days in captivity.

A native of Charlottetown, Archer graduated with honours from UPEI in 2001 with a BScN. She received the Rotary Club of Hillsborough Nursing Award and The Sister Mary Gabriel Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Academic Achievements in 2000.

"Laura is truly an inspiring alumna, and we want to give current UPEI students the opportunity to hear about the amazing things that she and our other speakers are doing. We are very excited to bring Laura back to UPEI," says Timothy Cullen, president of the UPEI Student Union.

The other two speakers in the series are Dr. Greg Fleming who is a veterinarian with Disney's Animal Kingdom, on February 9, and Dr. Heather G. Morrison, Chief Health Officer for PEI, on March 16.

Laura Archer's presentation takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19, in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium (Room 242) of McDougall Hall, UPEI. This is the location for all three presentations. A reception will follow in Schurman Market Square. Everyone is welcome. For more information, contact the UPEI Student Union at 566-0530.