Her lecture was appropriately titled “Outside the Box,” not only after her memoir about a career in television, but also as the metaphor with which she leads her life – thinking abstractly and for herself.

Lynn Sherr addressed a large and eager audience at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Memorial Union. The award-winning investigative reporter spoke about the passion that has energized her career in television, the history and success of women’s rights movement and her most recent book, “Outside the Box: A Memoir.” She answered questions and offered her personal political analyzation of the 2006 elections and 2008 presidential race.

“When I graduated from high school, I knew exactly what I wanted to be, which is exactly what I am – a journalist, but when I graduated from college, women didn’t pursue careers, they married them,” Sherr said. “It never occurred to us to question this attitude. It was the way things were.”

Sherr advanced in the journalism field while working for The Associated Press, which she said is less threatened by female journalists.

“I didn’t only cover the feminist movement, I was part of it,” Sherr said, while speaking on her admiration of Carrie Chapman Catt and Susan B. Anthony, two women she considers her heroines.

Sherr has covered many of the stories that have shaped the last half of the century and modernized our society, including the NASA Challenger mission, the life of Princess Diana and several presidential elections.

“I became a reporter for a very corny reason – to tell the truth and to help make sense and bring order to what I see as a very disordered world,” Sherr said.

Sherr’s charisma and jokes kept the audience laughing, even while she discussed difficult political and personal issues, such as Hillary Clinton’s possible bid for president and her late husband’s battle with cancer.

“Wonderful reports by committed journalists are where to find truth. Get your news from more than one source and know what is happening from both sides. It’s the only way to get the full picture,” Sherr said.

Allegra Selzer, sophomore in psychology and vice president for Iowa State’s Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance, enjoyed the lecture, which she said brought up good points such as there is still more work to be done.

“She is a wonderful speaker because she takes the time to tie the Iowa angle into what she is saying. We were thrilled she could come back,” said Pat Miller, manager of the lectures program.

Excited listeners gathered after the lecture for a book signing.

“I thought she was an inspiring speaker, and I have admired her for a number of years,” said Debra Moore, library assistant, who bought a copy of “Outside the Box: A Memoir.”