ORONO – Rudy Ruettiger, whose struggles to realize his dream of playing football at the University of Notre Dame were the inspiration for the 1993 movie “Rudy,” will give an inspirational and motivational speech tonight at the University of Maine.

Admission is free to hear Ruettiger, who will tell his story beginning at 7 p.m. at Alfond Arena in Orono. He has spent the last 13 years traveling the country speaking to corporations, university and high school students and sports teams, sharing his story about having a dream and achieving it despite obstacles, through hard work and perseverance.