Emmy-Winning Documentarian To Lecture at the Nicholas Academic Centers The Latest in Chapman University's "Visiting Scholars Series" Also Will Feature a Presentation on "Health and Media Literacy" in America

ORANGE, Calif., Mar 18, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sandra Robbie, who wrote and produced the Emmy Award-winning PBS documentary Mendez vs. Westminster: For All the Children / Para Todos los Ninos, will speak on Saturday, March 19 at the Nicholas Academic Center Annex in downtown Santa Ana (from 9 a.m. to noon at 313 North Birch Street, 2nd floor; the event is open to the public).

The documentarian, who works at Chapman University, will be joined by Professor Lisa Sparks, who will discuss the importance of "Health and Media Literacy" in the United States. The lectures are part of the 2011 "Visiting Scholars Series," in which Chapman University faculty and staff have discussed a broad range of subjects--from the origins of mathematics to how to build a video game--with students, parents and community members. The series is aimed at introducing high school students from underserved communities in Santa Ana to a college academic environment, while strengthening ties with highly respected local universities.

Robbie's film tells the story of the 1946 Orange County case that ended legal school segregation in California seven years before the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education.

"These are important topics--one about a seminal chapter in our nation's history and the other about the critical issue of health care," said Dr. Henry Nicholas, Co-Founder and former Co-Chairman, President and CEO of Broadcom Corp., who partnered in 2007 with retired Superior Court Judge Jack Mandel to establish the Nicholas Academic Centers. "The 'Visiting Scholars Series' is designed to challenge our students to think, and that is exactly what these lectures do." "Most students are familiar with school segregation, but they don't realize that the trail to desegregation and Brown v. Board of Education was blazed right here in our backyard," said Dr. Corina A. Espinoza, the Centers' Executive Director.

"These are the kinds of lectures that really enlighten our students about the value of going to college." About the Speakers Sandra Robbie has spoken across the country about the Mendez case at venues including the Smithsonian Institute, Chapman University, Harvard Law School, Stanford University, USC and UCLA. Sandra has won numerous awards for her Mendez work and is now working at Chapman University to create the permanent home for the study and celebration of Mendez v. Westminster. The Chapman Mendez project aims to bring thousands of students and scholars from across the country to study and celebrate the history of Mendez v. Westminster and the human rights strides we have made together.

Lisa Sparks, is the Foster and Mary McGaw Endowed Professor in Behavioral Sciences, as well as the Director of the M.S. program in Health and Strategic Communication at the Crean School of Health & Life Sciences (Schmid College of Science), at Chapman University. She has published hundreds of articles and several books on issues related to health communication, aging and communication, and she has recently developed a scholarly interest in health disparities. She holds an adjunct appointment with the Cancer Center at the University of California, Irvine.

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