STATESBORO — Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright will speak at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at Georgia Southern University’s Hanner Fieldhouse. The event is free to the public.

Albright was chosen by President Bill Clinton as the first female U.S. secretary of state in 1997. At the time, she was the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government. Albright will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the nation’s highest civilian honor — from President Barack Obama later this spring.

“Our students will learn a great deal from Madeleine K. Albright’s history-making and distinguished diplomatic career,” Georgia Southern Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Teresa Thompson said.

“We want to prepare our students to be leaders in the classroom and in their chosen fields after graduation. An opportunity to hear from someone who has spent years making decisions with international impact will give our students important insight about what it means to lead effectively.”

Prior to becoming secretary of state, Albright served as the U.S. permanent ambassador to the United Nations from 1993-1997. She is a professor in the practice of diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, chairs both the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs and the Pew Global Attitudes Project, serves as president of the Truman Scholarship Foundation and is a member of the Department of Defense’s Defense Policy Board.

Albright is chair of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm, and chair of Albright Capital Management LLC, an investment-advisory firm focused on emerging markets.

She also has authored five best-selling books, including “Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War: 1937-1948.”