Maya Angelou's upcoming appearance is already drawing Penn State students to ticket offices in droves, and box office representatives said they expect a full house for the event.
Angelou will speak at 8 p.m. next Tuesday at the Eisenhower Auditorium as part of the Student Programming Association's Distinguished Speaker Series.
During the first day of distribution of the free tickets for the upcoming appearance of this celebrated poet, author and civil rights activist, box office representatives said they saw long lines at many points on Monday.
Dawn Feaster, a box office assistant who was distributing student tickets at the HUB-Robeson Center, said 550 tickets were given out at that location alone on Monday. The tickets can also be picked up at the Eisenhower Auditorium, Bryce Jordan Center and the Penn State Downtown Theatre Center.
"It's been busier than we expected," Feaster said. "We were surprised [Monday]."
Economist Ben Stein spoke as a part of the series on Feb. 3. Feaster said Stein's lecture did not sell out, but they do expect to distribute all 2,500 tickets for Angelou's appearance.
Students who waited in line to obtain tickets said there is something remarkable about Angelou that made them want to get their tickets as soon as possible, fearing they would sell out quickly.
Jamika Williams, who picked up a ticket on Monday, said she is a fan of Angelou's work, in particular her poem, "Phenomenal Woman."
"She's so prominent among black women and I thought it was important for me to go see her," Williams (sophomore-theater design and technology) said.
Tickets will continue to be distributed to students throughout the week until they sell out. The tickets that are not distributed to students by Friday will become available to the general public.
Feaster said the box office was already getting calls from the public during spring break inquiring about ticket availability, an indication that tickets will likely not be available by the day of the event itself.
