"It will be very interesting," Midles said. "It's not just her speaking; she will be showing images and all sorts of things. It will be very interesting for people to know what [the disaster] was like."
O'Brien has also covered high-profile stories such as John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane crash, the shooting at Columbine High School, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, the World Trade Center destruction and the war in Iraq.
Before O'Brien joined CNN in July 2003, she anchored NBC's Weekend Today show and contributed reports for the Today show and NBC Nightly News. She was also anchor of MSNBC's award-winning technology program, The Site.
In 1996, O'Brien received an Emmy for her work as co-host on Discovery Channel's The Know Zone.
She was also named People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful" in 2001 and is a graduate of Harvard University.
Thor Wasbotten, senior lecturer of communications, said O'Brien's combination of beauty and intelligence makes her a broadcaster with the "best of both worlds."
"The stereotype of pretty people on TV doesn't fit with her," he said.
"Her intellect and journalistic ability outweighs what she looks like," Wasbotten added.
Amanda Reinitz, Distinguished Speaker Series committee member, said she is most drawn to O'Brien's credibility, personality and intelligence.
"She's my favorite morning anchor," Reinitz said. "You can tell by watching her and the way she describes everything -- you know she's intelligent. You trust what she's saying. She tells you the story, but in a way that she's not just reciting it."
With a mother who is black-Cuban and a father who is Irish-Australian, O'Brien claims a Latino, African-American and Irish heritage.
She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Joseph Selden, assistant dean of multicultural affairs in the College of Communications, said he rarely sees CNN anchors of color, and he commends the series for bringing in someone from a diverse culture.
"Here's a chance to profile someone of color who's doing something rare," he said. "The lecture series does share with us as a community that there is hope for us in a diverse culture to engage in a mainstream occupation. It's a good sign."
The event is free to the public, but tickets are required.
Tickets are available now at the Eisenhower Auditorium box office. There is a maximum of two tickets per Penn State ID card.
