Author Piper Kerman is set to lecture at OSU Jan. 13 in an event sponsored by OUAB.  Credit: Courtesy of MCT

Author Piper Kerman is set to lecture at OSU Jan. 13 in an event sponsored by OUAB.
Credit: Courtesy of MCT

Spring Semester has been delayed by two days, but the Ohio Union Activities Board has kept the ball rolling with its January events.

First up is Piper Kerman, the author of “Orange is the New Black,” which is the inspiration behind the Netflix-exclusive prison drama of the same name. Kerman is scheduled to speak on campus at 7 p.m. Monday in the Ohio Union Performance Hall. In her book, Kerman documents her time in a women’s correctional facility in Danbury, Conn. for a charge involving drug trafficking.

Mary Guido, special events chair for OUAB and a fourth-year in communication, said Kerman’s lecture at Ohio State should be informative as well as resonant.

“We hope students walk away from the event understanding their actions are powerful, and that for every action, there is a reaction,” Guido said in an email. “Kerman’s actions landed her in prison, but it also changed the course of her life and educated her about the largest prison system in the world.”

Hannah Perrino, a third-year in architecture, is a fan of the show and is interested in learning about Kerman’s time in prison.

“I would want to go,” Perrino said. “It would be really cool to hear her experience (in prison) and compare the show to what her actual experience was.”

OUAB’s Spring Semester schedule continues with director and producer Lee Daniels’ arrival on campus. Known for directing “Precious” and “The Butler,” Daniels will be conducting a lecture and Q-and-A session for students Jan. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ohio Union’s Archie M. Griffin East Ballroom.

“I hope the event opens students up to a dialogue about different perspectives on life. Daniels creates work that comes from a place of truth, and that will show through with this lecture,” said Nora Gerber, OUAB visual and fine arts chair and fourth-year in public affairs and Spanish, in an email. “Students will be able to connect and learn how Daniels’ accomplishments, obstacles and hardships have shaped his experience and his identity.”

In a collaborative event between OUAB and the Asian American Association, Miss America 2014 and first Indian-American winner Nina Davuluri is scheduled to speak and answer questions Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. in the Ohio Union Performance Hall.

After being recognized for breaking cultural barriers by winning the Miss America competition, Davuluri has advocated for the discussion of diversity issues in her social media campaign #CirclesofUnity. She is expected to discuss such topics during her lecture.

“America witnessed a slew of racist tweets in the aftermath of her coronation and Nina’s platform seems especially relevant because of that,” said Divya Raj, co-president of the Asian American Association and a third-year in public affairs in an email. “By bringing Nina to Ohio State, we hope to create a discussion and inspire conversation not only around her platform but also around AAPIs (Asian American and Pacific Islanders) in general and the challenges and stereotypes many of us face.”