Our public affairs theme for this year is Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness: Perspectives on Self-Government. Throughout the year, we will explore our rights and responsibilities as citizens in a modern democracy.
Establishing the foundation
We began this exploration several weeks ago with our Public Affairs Week activities. Highlights included:
- The Hunger Banquet – Based on the latest world statistics of the number of people living in poverty, all guests were randomly assigned various identities, circumstances and income levels. Guests experienced a proportional meal based on their assigned identity.
- Civic Engagement Conference – Christopher Phillips gave the keynote presentation titled “ASK NOT: The Pursuit of Happiness and Democratic Citizenship.” Phillips’ presentation reminded us that society needs dialog and human interaction. He encouraged all of us to ask questions about important issues and become thinkers, askers and doers.
- Public Affairs Week feature presentation – Usra Ghazi gave the feature presentation titled “How Interfaith Dialog and Awareness Informs Us as Citizens and People of Faith.” Ghazi discussed her personal and professional interfaith journey and the many ways that one’s commitment to interfaith engagement can change the world.
Connect with the theme
Please join me as we continue to explore the theme at the Public Affairs Convocation lecture at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts.
Sonia Nazario, author of Missouri State’s common reader “Enrique’s Journey,” will present this year’s lecture.
As a speaker with a reporter’s eye for the truth, Nazario humanizes the issue of immigration, posing new perspectives that fall on both sides, while offering solutions destined to change the national dialogue. The lecture is free and open to the public, and no ticket is required.
We will continue our signature public affairs events in the spring semester with the Public Affairs Conference, the Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and the Collaborative Diversity Conference.
Please plan to attend all of the signature events as we advance Missouri State’s public affairs mission.
Thanks for all you do for Missouri State!
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