On Tuesday, April 29 at 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall former President of Mexico, Ernesto Zedillo will speak to the Quinnipiac community.

Zedillo, 51, resides in Hamden, but was born in Mexico City, Mexico. A graduate from School of Economics of National Polytechnic Institute, Zedillo earned his PhD in Economic from Yale University. Zedillo is currently the Director of Yale Center for the Study of Globalization. Zedillo is also the Chairman of Financing for Development under UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

David Ives, executive director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute, recommended that Zedillo come speak because he, “has had greater success as a leader of Mexico in improving his country’s economy,” than any other President. Zedillo was the first President of Mexico in quite a while who was “not corrupt.” Ives said that Zedillo was instrumental in conducting fair elections that enabled a person from another party to win the Presidency.

Ives feels that Zedillo is a “strong moral example to us all” and [Zedillo] helps the Albert Schweitzer Institute celebrate its initial focus on Latin America and to promote the knowledge of other cultures.”

Ives also noted that its is not often that they are able to get a former head of state to Quinnipiac and “I jumped at the chance.”

Zedillo was elected president of Mexico on August 21, 1994. During his Presidency Zedillo called for political reform to achieve full democracy in Mexico. He also faced an economic and financial crisis. However, under Zedillo, Mexico had its highest GDP growth in its history. In 1993 Zedillo headed the campaign team for Luis Donaldo Colosio until his tragic assassination in 1994.

Zedillo had briefly served as secretary of education 1992-1993. From 1988-1992, Zedillo was full secretariat of the Mexican Federal Government. In 1987-1988 Zedillo was appointed undersecretary of the budget of the Mexican Federal Government. Zedillo also worked in many capacities as an economist and eventually deputy director of Mexico’s Central Banks from 1978-1987.