Everyone is invited to participate in this year’s virtual Public Affairs Conference at Missouri State University!  This event is free and open to the public and, as all events will be held virtually rather than in-person, no face masks are required.

The topic of this year’s Public Affairs Conference is “The Power of Voice” and includes an exciting array of speakers, artists, and presenters.  You may see the schedule for the conference, to be held 29 Sept-1 Oct, here: https://publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/conference/schedule

The conference will cover a wealth of important and timely topics—from online education, civil discourse, and victim blaming, to fake news, mental health, and the politics of medicine.

According to Dr. Amanda Brodeur, 2020-2021 Provost Fellow for Public Affairs, “In today’s world, we are bombarded with voices from all sides. The Internet, social media, television and the 24/7 news cycle offer a constant flow of information, ideas, opinions and widely divergent points of view. What effect do the myriad voices have on individuals, groups and society at large? How do people filter out the noise to find their own voice and be heard? What is the power of voice?

“Each of us must find our own voice that represents our personal values, beliefs and attitudes. This process is shaped by experience, education, culture, geography, adversity and many other factors. The evolution of one’s voice allows individuals to express themselves and to advocate for others through oral and written communication, the arts, political dialogue and in many other ways. People can use their voice to express gratitude, generosity, and inspiration, but can also convey hate, dissention, and disruption. As a community, we seek the truth that unifies us all, and we must find ways to respectfully agree and disagree.”

Everyone is encouraged to attend any and all sessions of the conference!  https://publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/conference