Pull up a seat, relax and enjoy dinner and a discussion with your favorite professor at West Virginia University.

The new Faculty Dinner Series is just the latest enhancement to WVU s Sophomore/Junior Year Experience that mixes student support activities with services designed to inform undergraduates on everything from getting involved to getting a job.

The program will bring students and faculty together in a comfortable environment, where they can enjoy complimentary meals and informal conversation with professors, said Vice President for Student Affairs Ken Graywith the ultimate goal being to help students build a foundation for a successful college experience.

The evenings will provide excellent opportunities for sophomores and juniors to learn more about particular areas of study, hear interesting presentations by outstanding members of WVU s faculty and spend time with other students,he added.

George Espercelebrated Vietnam War reporter and Ogden Newspapers Visiting Professor in the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalismwill kick off the dinner series at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at Hatfields in the Mountainlair.

The former Associated Press special correspondent will give a talk,Reporting the World from Front Row Seats,detailing his 10 years of covering the Vietnam War.

Born in Uniontown, Pa., Esper earned his bachelors degree in physical education from WVU in 1953 and joined the AP in 1958.

During his 44 years with the international news service, Esper reported on the Vietnam War and the first Gulf War in 1991, as well as U.S. peace missions in Somalia and Bosnia. In addition, Esper reported on many major stories in the United States, including Hurricane Andrew and the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City.

After retiring from the AP, Esper returned to his alma mater to teach in the WVU P .I. Reed School of Journalism in 2000. His classes include journalism history, feature writing and history of war correspondence.

Espers presentation is the first of sixthree in the fall (Sept. 25, Oct. 24, Nov. 29) and three in the spring (Jan. 29, Feb. 27, March 20)in the Faculty Dinner Series. Space is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Dinner will include baked ziti, fresh vegetable sauté, Caesar salad and chocolate cream pie. Participants will also receive a free gift.

WVU sophomores and juniors interested in attending the free presentation and dinner should e-mail betsy.streisel@mail.wvu.edu .

Sophomore/Junior Year Experience on the Net:http://studentaffairs.wvu.edu/sjy_exp/index.html