With the drive to help needy children, Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS shoes, has given shoes to children in 28 countries.

Oakland University’s Student Life Lecture Board will welcome Blake Mycoskie on April 5 as part of their SLLB series.

Mycoskie was unanimously chosen to visit OU from a list of candidates, which  included Detroit Free Press columnist Mitch Albom, who has previously spoken at OU.

VIP tickets include a meet and greet with Mycoskie and a book signing.

The cost of the event is $10 for the general public. OU students, faculty and staff can attend for free. The event will start at 7:30 p.m. and run until 9 p.m.

OU students will have several opportunities to win free VIP tickets, as well as floor seats for the event at several showings of his documentary and at a book review. For details, visit the SPB table in the Oakland Center on March 27, or April 4 and 5.

An ongoing SPB Project

Christopher Jensen, assistant director of leadership and service learning, said scheduling Mycoskie has been an ongoing project.

“The last few years we have wanted to bring Mycoskie in to speak at OU, but because of scheduling it did not work out. This year, it did,” he said.

Jensen said that SLLB always looks for an expert in their field that would be educational and would attract the attention of the student body.

“Not only is Mycoskie an entrepreneur but he is a social entrepreneur,” Jensen said.

SLLB expressed excitement over the magnitude of the speaker.

“Something most people don’t realize is how big Mycoskie is on the West coast,” Amera Fattah, event director, said.

The event reminded Fattah of when SLLB brought musician Drake in to perform a concert at OU. She said Drake wasn’t nationally recognized at the time of the show. However, shortly after his concert at OU, he rose to national prominence and that it what she thinks will happen w

ith Mycoskie.

More than just a company

Hailing from Texas, Mycoskie founded the TOMS line of shoes after learning that children in developing countries were growing up without shoes. Mycoskie decided TOMS would give a pair of shoes to children in need for every pair that was sold.

According to the website, they have given out “over one million pairs of new shoes to children through giving partners around the world in 28 countries.”

Along with its shoe line, TOMS also offers eyeglasses, with the promise of providing eye tests, prescription glasses and “sight-saving surgery” to people in need.

Fattah explained something most people don’t know about TOMS is that it doesn’t just give new shoes, or glasses to people in need — it also provides them with medical care.

“Blake (Mycoskie) is really not only a leader in his field, but is one that makes ethical decisions. We want our students to make ethical decisions as well,” Jensen said.

Along with being the founder of TOMS, Mycoskie has also started five other business ventures. In 2002, he competed in the CBS show “The Amazing Race.”

Fattah said shortly after Mycoskie comes to OU, he will host his second annual ”One Day Without Shoes.” According to the TOMS website, “the event is to raise awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child’s life by going without shoes” by encouraging people to walk barefoot for a day.

Jensen hopes that students will come away from the event with the understanding that it is OK to fail at first in business ventures and that you should always follow your passions.

Fattah is excited that Mycoskie will be having a speaking engagement rather than a lecture-type presentation.

“Engagement means he engages with the audience. You’re not going to feel like you are in class, we want people to interact,” Fattah said.

“This is intended to be a community event,” Jensen, said.

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Contact senior reporter Christopher Lauritsen via email at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @ChrisLaurtse