2024 Family Weekend Acorn Talks

Saturday, September 28 – 11:15 a.m.-Noon

 

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Build the Life You Want: The Conversation Continues

Rev. Kirstin Boswell, Ph.D., University Chaplain and Dean of Multifaith Engagement

Location: Founders Hall – Hunt Atrium

Interested in engaging bit more with the themes from Arthur Brooks’s Convocation? Join Elon’s Chaplain Kirsten Boswell in exploring scientific and practical strategies for cultivating purpose and meaning in your personal, professional, and family lives.

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Social Media: Bane or Boon for Education?

Jeff Carpenter, Ph.D., Professor of Education

2024 William S. Long Professor

Location: Moseley Center, Lakeside Meeting Rooms – 212

Social media platforms are at the heart of modern culture, but their place and role in educational settings is controversial. This interactive session will consider opportunities and challenges associated with the use of social media in formal and informal educational settings. We will analyze case studies from my recent and current research projects, and discuss the future of social media in schools.

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Exploring the Advocacy of Identity Center Staff of Color on College Campuses

Stephanie Hernandez Rivera, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education

Dr. Jo Watts Williams Emerging Scholar

Location: Moseley Center, Lakeside Meeting Room 214

This lecture highlights the important work of practitioners and administrators in higher education facilitating social justice and inclusion efforts, specifically those doing work in identity centers. Identity centers can be understood as spaces on college campuses that provide support to students who are part of historically marginalized groups. Existing research highlights how practitioners working in these spaces navigate numerous challenges, including tensions between advocacy for students and fears of job loss and retaliation. This may lead practitioners to navigate as “tempered radicals.” This lecture explores this tension, while also underscoring the contributions these practitioners have made to student development and campus inclusion efforts.

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Attract, Develop, Retain: Discussing Key HR Strategies for Future Talent

Brian Lyons, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, Professor of Management

Martha and Spencer Love Term Professor in Business

Location: Richard W. Sankey Hall – Room 308

This interactive session will explore key strategies for attracting, developing, and retaining human capital. We’ll debunk common HR myths, uncover best practices, and examine how leveraging HR can empower organizations to gain a competitive advantage. Participants will gain insights into how these strategies impact the firms their college students will work for and how they can support their career development.

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The World of the Ancient Maya

Rissa Trachman, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology

J. Earl Danieley Distinguished Professor

Location: Martha S. and Carl H. Lindner III Hall – Room 208

This session will explore the world of the ancient Maya as viewed from the ancient city of Dos Hombres in northwestern Belize. Archaeological excavations, artifacts, and architecture can be used to evaluate and understand trade, market activity, ritual, and social life. In this example economic productivity and its integration with aspects of ritual expression and social activity are critical perspectives in understanding the nature of ancient Maya life in this ancient city.

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Mind and Screen: Cognitive Insights for Digital Design

Qian Xu, Ph.D., Professor of Strategic Communications

AJ Fletcher Professor

Moseley Center – Room 215

At the heart of user experience is understanding how users perceive, process, and interact with digital products. The most effective digital interfaces are designed for users as they are, rather than how we might wish them to be. Using real-world examples, this session explores how principles from cognitive psychology can enhance our understanding of user interactions with digital technology and help create better user experiences.

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