ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- Rhoda Howard-Hassmann, the daughter of a Nazi Germany refugee and an international women’s rights scholar, will speak at Central Washington University about women’s suffrage on Thursday.

Howard-Hassmann will present “Universal Women’s Rights: Debates and Progress” at 4 p.m. in Room 150 at Black Hall. The free presentation is a part of Central’s celebration of the Women’s Suffrage Centennial.

Howard-Hassmann has spent her career studying the effects of genocide, famine, globalization and economics — as well as the rights and roles of women, children, gays and lesbians.

The presentation is a part of the Performing Arts and Presidential Speaker Series, which is supported by the CWU Office of the President, College of Arts and Humanities, the Departments of Music and Theatre Arts and others.

-- Erin Snelgrove