Cristina Tapia Muro will lecture 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Public Affairs Center as part of the World Affairs Council of Central Illinois’ lecture series.

Tapia’s lecture is titled ‘Political Culture and Agency in Mexico: Lessons From the 2018 Elections’. Her presentation will explore, among other things, the history of Mexico’s political leadership, the factors contributing to Manuel Andres López Obrador’s election to Mexico’s presidency and Mexico’s system of political patronage and corruption, according to the Communiqué, WACCI’s newsletter, for March/April 2019.

Tapia is a professor of political science at the University of Colima, Mexico. She earned a doctorate in economics and administrative sciences from the University of Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico.

Art Meyer, vice president of programming for WACCI, said the world faces problems that are not confined within national borders, and our nation faces problems that require cooperation with other countries to solve. He recommended students join the WACCI to learn about other nations and cultures.

The annual membership fee for students to join WACCI is $10. Student members can also get invited to dinner. Maurine Magliocco, WACCI vice president for membership and financial development, said, “WACCI invites students to be our guests at the delicious dinners that precede each program.” The menu features dishes from the country under discussion, she said. Students should contact Lynn McMenamin, WACCI registrar, a week prior to the lecture at (217) 502-6956.

Magliocco said students in colleges and universities on the East Coast, the Ivy League and large universities regularly have exposure to experts, but do not have routine access in the “heart of the heart of the country.” She said students, who attend WACCI lectures, get to hear diverse speakers, such as, Nobel laureates, scholars, Peace Corps workers, Middle East peace negotiators, diplomats, and major newspaper bureau chiefs.

“When LLCC students become members of WACCI,” Magliocco said, “they can put that on their resumes, and this indicates to prospective employers that they are well informed and interested in world events, clearly an advantage in today’s job market, no matter the field.”

She also said, “The WACCI motto is ‘Understanding One World as One People,’ an ability that is crucial in today’s world.”

LLCC is an institutional member of WACCI. “LLCC has supported us financially for several years,” Magliocco said, “because it is an institution of higher learning that recognizes the importance of making available to its student body the highly qualified and experienced speakers WACCI provides.”

The lecture is preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:15 p.m. Since seating is limited, WACCI requires dinner reservations. The lectures are free to the public.

Paul Watson can be reached at [email protected].