Iraq War Veteran and LGBTQ Rights Activist Eric Alva will speak on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. in the Summerville Room at the Columbus Learning Center as part of the Excellence in Leadership Initiative Speaker Series, sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs at IUPUC. The event is free and open to the public.

The first American soldier injured in the Iraq War, Eric was hailed as an American hero. While he lost his leg in combat, his spirit remained stronger than ever — upon retirement, Eric came out as gay.

As a gay man, disabled veteran, and U.S. citizen of Hispanic and Native American heritage, Eric knows about overcoming obstacles and navigating complex intersectionality. Drawing on his battle for equality in the military on behalf of the LGBTQ community, he discusses how that experience supports the momentum for diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and how a commitment to equality attracts talent, builds a sense of belonging, and creates a competitive advantage.

Eric’s overall story of courage and triumph over adversity inspires audiences to create change by doing the right thing, stand up for what they believe, and make the world a better place for those who deserve to be treated with dignity.

The Excellence in Leadership Initiative provides IUPUC students with opportunities to explore and expand their personal leadership skills and experience. One facet of that program is the speaker series which exposes students to a diverse series of speakers representing a wide range of leadership styles and contributions to society.