SALEM — Former President Barack Obama will visit Salem State University this fall as the featured speaker for the Salem State Series, with tickets for the highly anticipated event going on sale to the general public Wednesday.

Obama, the 44th president of the United States, will appear at the university on Monday, Sept. 21, for “A Conversation with President Barack Obama.” The event will be held at the O’Keefe Sports Complex on Canal Street.

University officials said Obama’s appearance marks one of the most significant events in the history of the Salem State Series, which has brought nationally and internationally recognized leaders, artists, athletes, and public figures to the North Shore since its founding in 1982.

“The Salem State Series was created by the Alumni Association and Foundation to serve as a community enrichment program that connects the North Shore with influential leaders and meaningful public dialogue,” Salem State University President John Keenan said. “Welcoming President Obama to Salem State reflects the university’s enduring commitment to civic engagement and to creating opportunities for our students and broader community to engage with ideas and voices shaping public life.”

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, with four pricing options available. Premium floor seating is $150, reserved floor seating is $80, and general admission bleacher seating is $40. Salem State students can purchase a limited number of $10 bleacher tickets with a valid student ID. Student tickets are limited to the first 200 sold, and ticket purchases are capped at six per person.

Founded by the Salem State University Alumni Association and Foundation, the Salem State Series has hosted more than 100 prominent speakers over the past four decades. The self-supporting lecture series was established as a community enrichment program designed to bring influential voices and public dialogue to the North Shore.

Obama served as president from 2009 to 2017 after careers as a community organizer, constitutional law professor, and public servant. Before entering the White House, he served in both the Illinois State Senate and the U.S. Senate. He was also the first African American president of the Harvard Law Review while attending Harvard Law School.

Elected in 2008 as the nation’s first African American president, Obama served two terms during which his administration responded to the Great Recession, enacted the Affordable Care Act, and helped negotiate the Paris climate agreement. In 2009, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Since leaving office, Obama has focused on developing future leaders through the Obama Foundation, which operates leadership programs around the world. His post-presidential work also includes the Obama Presidential Center, which recently opened on Chicago’s South Side.

Salem State officials said the Sept. 21 conversation reflects the university’s role as the Commonwealth’s Civic Engagement University, promoting discussions on leadership, democracy, citizenship and public service.

Additional event and ticket information is available through the Salem State Series website.