At least one Miami fan received a warm welcome to Happy Valley last Friday.

University of Miami President Donna Shalala kept a captive audience during her presentation at the lunchtime speaker series at the Nittany Lion Inn. The Penn State Faculty Staff Club Forum hosted the speech.

Various university organizations and special guests, Penn State President Graham Spanier and his wife attended the event.

Spanier spoke positively about the speech, "I thought it was marvelous. She's a great speaker and has a great sense of humor."

Shalala began her speech discussing the differences she has experienced with careers in the government and higher education. She is currently president of the University of Miami and has served as secretary of health and human services in the Clinton administration.

She pointed out that her role as cabinet secretary was easier because of the structure of administration.

"You say something and someone actually does it," she said.

Shalala's return to higher education came in 2001 when she was named president of the University of Miami. She notes that students were the reason behind her return.

"At the end of the day you miss the students," she said.

Shalala also spoke of her tie to Penn State — she had cast a critical vote to get Penn State into the Big Ten. She said the reasons behind her vote were for academic reasons as well as Penn State's commitment to Title IV.

She referred to Penn State as a "first class university," noting President Spanier as a distinguished and courageous individual.

Shalala then changed the tone of her speech by focusing on health care and university-based research.

Shalala first discussed the treatment of senior citizens. She said that programs like Medicare need to be modernized and that the quality needs to be upgraded.

"We have to first look at these programs very carefully," she said.

One particular problem is the cost of prescription drugs, which was not covered when the bill first came out.

She said that although breakthroughs in Medicare have been "extraordinary," the programs still need to become more competitive.

She believes elders need to have a "quality of life, dignity and independence." Shalala also touched on long-term care and the uninsured. She wants the health care system of America to be more effective. She believes Americans are entitled to have "seamless care, even if they don't have insurance."

Shalala closed her speech speaking about the connection between science and ethics. She said that universities are "very fragile institutions" which have been invested in for a long time. These institutions must "take responsibility for who we are, and the quality of life."

She touched on the current stem cell research debates and said, "we must not let science get ahead of ethics." She believes that no matter what feelings individuals possess, they "have to support a more public system."

The presentation then gave an opportunity for questions from the audience.

When asked if she would consider returning to politics, she said no, but went on to add, "I admire people who are involved with politics."

Shalala was also questioned about discrimination she has dealt with throughout her career. She said in the beginning she encountered "blatant discrimination," but as her career advanced, it went away.

"When you have power, no one messes with you," she said.

The afternoon ended with the Faculty Staff Club presenting a plaque, a Penn State mug, and a Miami versus Penn State football T-shirt to Shalala.

Audience member Annemarie Mountz, manager of Internal Communications at Penn State said, "I thought it was very entertaining and informative."

Rachel Ellis (freshman-international politics), one of the few students in attendance, enjoyed the speech as well, noting Shalala was a "good speaker, very witty and enjoyable."