The founder of an organization that works to help adults obtain their GEDs will speak in Little Rock next week.
Dickie Scruggs, once called the most powerful trial attorney in the U.S. for his work toward the multimillion- and billion-dollar awards received in lawsuits over tobacco, asbestos and Hurricane Katrina, will speak at noon Monday at Sturgis Hall, 1200 President Clinton Ave.
Scruggs founded 2nd Chance MS, which works with Mississippi’s community colleges to help people get GEDs. Scruggs served six years in prison for judicial bribery charges beginning in 2007 and has said he was motivated by tutoring fellow inmates.
Mississippi has one of the lowest high school graduation rates in the country, with 22 percent of adults there not having a high school diploma.
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“Every year, an additional 14,000 students quit high school, meaning on average, every school day 77 Mississippi students drop out,” a news release said.
The free event is part of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service’s speaker series. Seats may be reserved by emailing publicprograms@clintonschool.uasys.edu or calling (501) 683-5239.