Additional Keynote Offerings

Civility, Leadership and College Life

Is that your tray left for someone else to pick up? Did you just interrupt your professor? Is it cheating if everyone else is doing it? These are actually questions of character. As college students the expectations for positively contributing to your community include enhancing - not distracting - from a high standard of civility characterized by your integrity, intelligence and inspiration. At the core of your civility are three constructs: compassion, consideration and concept of self. Using humorous examples and a non - judgmental style of presenting, this session offers original ideas around the notion of "courteous and kind" behaviors with assessment tools and original handouts. It is designed to challenge you to fully accept the many contributions you can make to your campus community and why college is "higher" not "lower" education. Watch out! You've got potential.

Community Begins with "See"

The "best" educational years of your life can (and should) be filled with new experiences, new challenges and new interactions - interactions with individuals from all around the world and with different cultural, historical, social and family backgrounds. To become educated as a whole person, capable of showing compassion, understanding and community, involves celebrating the differences around you - not just "tolerating" them. This inspirational lecture asks participants to challenge their current level of understanding of the value of diversity and multiculturalism while recognizing the significant role play in creating a future of peace.

Holding Others to Higher Standards

"How low can you go?" Or, is the more fitting questions for Greek leaders: "How hard are you willing to work to be leaders of character?" This interactive and enlightening session will discuss the challenges of challenging attitudes and behaviors contrary to the ideals of being a leader. Practical strategies for being men and women of high moral, ethical and civil standards will be offered along with the comfort in knowing YOU MIGHT JUST BE RIGHT!

How to Zing! Your Life and Civic Leadership

Gandhi said, "WE must be the change we wish to see in this world." His words don't suggest we sit around talking about making a difference in the world, they call us to act. Zing! is the energy it takes to override competing forces to positively influence others towards a greater social good. Leadership is the making of a difference. Zing! represents a mind set for productive, intelligent and compassionate involvement by citizens of all ages, races and beliefs with the reminder one's vision of the world must be 20/20. Using personal explorations, interactive experiences, stories and shared gifts, audience members will learn what Martin Luther King, Jr. meant when he said, "There comes a time when your silence is betrayal." Various strategies for thinking globally and acting locally will be presented along with the inspiration to change the world... one person at a time. It's always Zing! time.

If You Teach, They Will Learn: Motivation for the Educator

Is a slammed book the indication that your students are done learning? This upbeat and highly motivational session is about you - the educator. It is also about them - the student. Through the use of numerous stories, quotes from famous and not - so - famous people and humor, you will be asked to re - charge your energy sources and consider approaching teaching from the perspective of how students learn. The most recent data on today's student will be shared with the accompanying recommendations for how to better reach and teach a population that grew up on MTV. What you do matters. The trick is inspiring and requiring your students to value the learning process as much as they value the end result (i.e. the degree).

The Meaning of One

In twenty minutes, this commencement address reaches out to a diverse audience with a message of making a difference. Supporting this goal are quotes by Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. The connection between time, effort and purpose combine with statistics on America's educational attainment for a congratulatory pat on the back and obligatory role to make a difference.

The Sounds of Silence

Can you hear it? The music? The melody? The lyrics? The sounds are all around yet they are silent. They are heard from within and are waiting for you - the graduating senior - to put the many gifts provided by your higher education to use so that others may too hear the music and play along. Many people helped write the melody compose the song, why does it often sit in silence? Unsung. Unheard. The world needs to hear what you've done! This inspirational speech will encourage the graduating senior to turn up the volume! There's a lot of work to be done in this world and a lot of people - especially children - who long to sing along. Listen to the sounds from within.

Taking Care of Business: Motivating Strategies for Life

How's your life going? Parenting, working, running, shopping, dealing with difficult people... the stresses of every day life. Are you in need of a reality check? Take an evening to get into the moment and focus on what needs to be repaired, remodeled, renovated or rebuilt in your life. This "do - it - yourself" approach to bringing back the balance in your life is offered by the author of Life by Design: A Do It Yourself Approach to Achieving Happiness. In an upbeat, inspiring yet content driven program, a five phase process of living the life you want will be shared along with fun self - assessment opportunities and humorous takes on life. Let's face the first reality - if you aren't happy or content with your life, odds are you are making the people around you miserable. It's time to take care of business!

A Time of Holding On and A Time of Letting Grow

Your student is anxious, excited, ready, unprepared, nervous, thrilled... and the list goes on! Strangely enough, so are you. The transition between high school and college is exactly that - change. Not only are there important developmental stages unfolding in front of your very eyes, but you are in a unique position to assist (rather than resist) your "soon to be college" student. In a humorous and conversational approach, the speaker seeks to provide realistic expectations around the transitioning college student, while suggesting rather forwardly - it's time to hold on... while letting them grow. Tips for parenting a college student will also be offered for those open to "parenting and partnering" with whatever institution of higher learning awaits your student. One of the greatest outcomes of this program is the opportunity for parents and guardians - who have gone through it already - to share their expertise!

A Time of Holding On and A Time of Letting Grow - HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR YEAR

As your teenager begins to shift gears from "high school senior" to "college freshmen" you may begin to question how to respond, when to respond - or whether you should have a response at all! Not uncommon. You may also find yourself wondering what's the "best" college for your student, how many college visits are "enough," and how much of your opinion on their selection should be shared. Although there aren't any absolutes, there is a way of approaching this time of transition in a manner that invites your child to take responsibility for their future. This interactive discussion will encourage the "experts" to share their experiences, while the presenter offers tips - not trips - on this exciting time of holding on while letting GROW!

Winning is Good… I Like to Win! Motivation for the Athlete

This high energy motivational talk is about you - the collegiate athlete. It is about the value of "winning" and the attitude that makes a winner. Focus is placed on the importance of working on and "training" the whole person by requiring the "interested student position" in everything you do. Quotes and inspirational stories are shared from famous and not - so - famous athletes along with the speaker's own stories as a collegiate athlete and honor student. Motivation comes from the inside out yet it is often the validation and recognition of others that moves us into better performance. True victory is the ability to understand what motivates you and what you need to do to be a "winner."

You Make a Difference

When the words "thank you" don't seem to mean enough, what else can you say or do? There's plenty. Providing recognition is a valuable source of acknowledging one's contributions while inspiring future efforts. This speech says "thank you" in a variety of ways and allows for the "personalization of gratitude." Special posters by the same title compliment this talk and leaves a lasting symbol of appreciation.

Zing! Your Life and Leadership: For Women Only

Do you have it? That thing called "Zing!"? This engaging and inspirational session is about female influence, charisma and leadership. It's about raising the bar on your life and leadership through the use of various "insights" as offered in Zing! Your Life and Leadership: 21 Insights on Maximizing Your Influence. Learn what time is really is - all the time! (It's Zing! time!)

Zing! Your Life and Leadership: The Introduction

(Goes with "The Obligation" - one starts and one finishes a conference or day long conference event.)

Why do you get out of bed every day? How do you define "life?" What does it mean to be a "leader?" This highly engaging opening keynote will offer answers to these questions while challenging you to live your life and leadership in the "interested student of life" position and with this thing called, "Zing!" Strategies for overriding competing forces to positively influence others towards a greater social good" will be shared along with the motivation to stand up, speak up and seek out ways you can continually maximize your leadership potential. Do you know what time it is?

Zing! Your Life and Leadership: The Obligation

It's Zing! time.. that's life and leadership with an exclamation point. Zing! is colorful, never beige. Zing! is realizing not only the many opportunities offered through your leadership, rather the required sense of obligation to use your aptitudes to show your gratitude. In this interactive closing experience, you will recognize the interconnected nature of leadership, assess your current abilities to influence others and learn a few of the 21 INSIGHTS for influencing others.