Former U.S. diplomat to speak at Ursinus

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

Former diplomat to speak at Ursinus

COLLEGEVILLE Ursinus College is hosting a lecture on "The Arab Spring: Russia and Syria" on Wednesday evening, featuring former Ambassador Richard W. Murphy.

Murphy spent 34 years with the State Department, serving as U.S. ambassador to Mauritania, Syria, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia, and as assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern and South Asian affairs under President Ronald Reagan.

Joseph H. Melrose Jr., a professor of international relations who is hosting the lecture, said Murphy is "one of this country's most astute observers of the Middle Eastern scene" and is well-suited to provide historical perspective on the region.

The lecture is free and open to the public, beginning at 7 p.m. at the college's Olin Hall, Room 108. - Jessica Parks