November 15, 2004

State education superintendent
next ‘Breakfast Club’ speaker

Jack O’Connell, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, will be the next speaker in the Breakfast Club Speakers Series, hosted by the California State University, Sacramento Alumni Association. O’Connell will speak at 7:30 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 7 in the Alumni Center on campus.

Jack O'Connell

The events, which include breakfast, feature a range of guests speaking on hot topics in the Sacramento region in a low-key, off-the-record format that allows audience interaction.

Before his election as state superintendent in 2002, O’Connell served two decades in the California State Legislature representing the Central Coast. Improving education has been a goal throughout his career and he authored several education bills in both the Assembly and the Senate. He is a long-time advocate for smaller class sizes, improved teacher recruitment and retention, comprehensive testing and up-to-date school facilities.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from CSU Fullerton and a secondary teaching credential from CSU Long Beach. He taught high school for several years and later served on the Santa Barbara County School Board.

Upcoming speakers in this year’s Breakfast Club series include Sacramento Bee publisher and president Janis Heaphy on March 8, and River City Bank president-CEO Jeanne Reaves on May 3. O’Connell’s talk is sponsored by the Capital Fellows and Education chapters of the Alumni Association.

The events are free to Alumni Association members and $15 for non-members. Seating is limited. For reservations or additional information, contact the Alumni Association at (916) 278-6295.

####