Defiance College implemented the DC Speakers Bureau to facilitate the sharing of a wide range of educational information to area businesses, schools, libraries and other organizations. Presentations are given by current faculty, staff and students at Defiance College and cover many interdisciplinary topics. All DC Speakers Bureau presentations are provided free of charge.

Scheduling a Speaker
Presentations are available from January-June each year.  Provided below is a complete list of topics that were available during Spring 2011. Please check back in early January to review the updated list of Spring 2012 topics and request a presentation.

We kindly ask that all requests be submitted at least two weeks prior to your preferred presentation date. Understanding that unanticipated opportunities arise, we will make every attempt to fill each request.

For more information about the DC Speakers Bureau, contact Jessica Myers at 419-783-2352 or jmyers@defiance.edu. 

Thank you for your interest in the DC Speakers Bureau.
We look forward to working with you.

 

DC Speakers Bureau 2011 Topics

Character – A discussion on the importance of adopting many of the transferable skills for success in business and in life.  Character is simply one of many.  But an explanation on the difference between reputation, who people think you are, and character, who you really are.  They are synonyms in the dictionary but, in reality, they are not the same.  The audience is asked, "If your reputation met your character on the street, would they even recognize each other?"

 

Coaching – Craig Rutter has been coaching since 1974 in some capacity, including high school (7 yrs.) and college (29 years).  He was the head baseball coach at Defiance College for 19 years.  He has been coaching the women's golf team for 4 years.  He is also the Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Engagement.  He will talk about his experience and offer advice to aspiring coaches.

 

College Planning – Hear from an admissions representative on the steps that students must take to enter college.  This presentation can be adapted to most age groups.  A discussion on classes to take during secondary school and scholarship opportunities is included.

 

Motivation and Enthusiasm - Coaching and teaching, service to others, and career opportunities form the basis for these presentations.  Concentration on the topic of developing a passion for what you are doing and understanding that you can accomplish your goals if you are (1) persistent, (2) patient, and (3) willing to fail.

 

Post-Secondary Enrollment Options – Created by the Ohio General Assembly in 1989, the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program permits high school student to complete college course work for high school and/or college credit.  Hear from an admissions representative about options available to area high school students.

 

Relief Efforts in Haiti – Five months after the devastating earthquake hit Haiti on January 12, 2010, a group of dedicated volunteers from Family Christian Center in Defiance traveled to help with relief efforts.  They spent seven days doing construction work and assisting at an outdoor make-shift with clinic run by an organization that has been in Haiti for over 30 years. While on the ground in Haiti, they experienced a lot of the Haitian culture and were able to speak with many people about the earthquake and the impact that it continues to have upon the country and its people.

 

Safety First: Teacher First Aid and CPR – Hear from a Defiance College student who traveled to Cambodia last May with the McMaster School for Advancing Humanity.  She taught women and staff at the Cambodian Women's Crisis Center First Aid, CPR, and fire safety.  The Cambodian Women's Crisis Center is a sex trafficking and domestic violence shelter.  Sessions were held at three locations throughout Cambodia with hands-on activities, a fully translated First Aid, CPR, and fire safety manual.  A CPR model and first aid kit were left at each location.

 

Service Learning – Presented by the previous director of the Service Learning program at Defiance College from 2001-2005.  This May, he will be taking his 22nd trip to Jamaica to serve the people of that country and finalize the arrangements for a third student to attend Defiance College from Marymount High School.  Traveling to Jamaica since 1998, he will talk about the things he has learned through service.  Primarily, but not limited to:

• It is not about the service, but rather the persons we serve.  The service we do is simply the vehicle that brings lives together.
  
  
• People know you care when you become a familiar face; when you are willing to go back and to go back.
  
  
• You CAN make a difference in the world one person at a time.

 

Sport Management Program – An overview of the Defiance College Sport Management Program.  Hear examples of internships that DC students are offered and asked questions of the Sport Management faculty.

 

War from a Pastor’s Perspective – What is the difference between  ‘murder’ and to ‘kill’?  What are a Christian’s responsibilities and limitations when it comes to warfare of his/her country?  A discussion about the criteria people use to decide what’s “right,” moral, acceptable, ethical, etc.  “You think you’re right?  Well…Says who?  How do you KNOW you’re right?”

 

Why Art (International Artwork) and Local Artists – Steve Smith produces functional, decorative and sculptural works in clay, steel and stone.  Steve has exhibited in major regional and national exhibitions since 1974. His works are held in many private and corporate collections: Ohio Craft Museum, Ceramics Monthly Magazine, Rockport Shoe Corporation, Mary Drysdale-Washington D.C.  His work has been featured in many national publications including Interior Design Magazine, House Beautiful, Southern Accent, and books including: The Guild: A Sourcebook of American Craft, Contemporary American Furniture Designers, Handbuilt Ceramics, and The Clay Lover’s Guide to Mold Making.  Steve was also the subject in the 2001 film Steve Smith: Clay Dancing in Flames.