History Alive!: The First Woman to Win the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes is coming to West Liberty University. Karen Vuranch, freelance writer and storyteller, will portray Pearl S. Buck on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 3:00 p.m. at Kelly Theater on WLU’s main campus.

Buck (1892-1973) was born in West Virginia and grew up in China with her missionary parents. She received the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Good Earth and became the first American woman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1932. She was also a humanitarian and social activist who was deeply concerned about the welfare of children throughout the world and dedicated her life to promoting tolerance, human rights and inter-cultural understanding.

Vuranch brings Buck to life in this living history performance. She gives audiences a glimpse of this amazing woman and the Asian culture she knew so well. It is a moving portrayal of one of the most important women of the twentieth century.

“The Portrayal of Pearl Sydenstricker Buck by noted actress and researcher Karen Vuranch will be a great opportunity for all of our students to be inspired by the life of this amazing woman and native West Virginian,” commented Mihaela Szabo, Coordinator of International Student Recruiting at WLU.  “I am certain that everyone attending the performance will find themselves motivated to engage in their community and further Ms. Buck’s work on global awareness and understanding, personal freedom and equal rights,” added Szabo.

This event is free and open to the public. History Alive is a West Virginia Humanities Council program.  For more information please contact Szabo,  at (304) 336-8270 or mszabo@westliberty.edu.