The service activities and achievements of Walden University students, alumni, faculty, staff—and their organizations’ work—will be showcased at the university’s 2008 Social Change Conference, “Serving Our Communities,” being conducted online this year on Oct. 2.

Register online to attend the free conference, which will run from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern time and is open to the public.

The Social Change Conference emphasizes Walden’s commitment to service and its mission of effecting positive social change.

Walden will continue the conference theme two days later, on Saturday, Oct. 4, during its third annual National Day of Service. The university’s students, faculty, alumni, administration and staff will be leading community service projects across the country, as well as internationally, to make a positive impact in their cities and neighborhoods.

A variety of communities in 17 cities, as well as in Amsterdam and Mexico, will benefit from the events.

Members of the Walden community will be: working in schools in Atlanta, Baltimore and Jacksonville; working in food banks and soup kitchens in Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.; and gardening and landscaping public spaces in Minneapolis and San Francisco.

They also will be helping with rebuilding efforts in New Orleans, sprucing up a Savannah church, participating in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Houston, and volunteering at a fashion show to benefit developmentally disabled adults, children, and their families in Chicago.

Conference Speakers

The conference’s keynote speaker is Kelly Hodge-Williams, executive director of Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU) Maryland, an organization that brings local business professionals’ talents to nonprofit organizations that seek volunteer help and board leadership. BVU’s mission is to build stronger communities by inspiring volunteerism and connecting motivated people and businesses to nonprofit organizations.

The conference also will feature presentations by Walden alumni with exemplary service records—leaders who are advancing the university’s mission. They include:

Gray G. Davis, an M.B.A. graduate, who is chief operating officer of Oswald Trippe and Co., one of southwest Florida’s largest independent insurance agencies, and who is a member of the board of Uncommon Friends Foundation. The foundation was established to instill ethics, moral values and a sense of purpose in tomorrow's leaders. Davis will be speaking on serving on a nonprofit board.

Dr. Souror Baetjer, recipient of this year’s Outstanding Alumni Award and a Ph.D. in Health Services graduate, who developed an exemplary continuing education allied health program at her local community college. She independently sought out instructional resources, surveyed the community for program needs and won immediate statewide recognition for the program. Baetjer will be discussing the value of community service.

Sara Jane Byars, a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) student at Walden, whose teaching career spans more than 35 years. During that time, she has designed numerous programs and curricula that have directly impacted children in her community. Chosen as one of 10 exemplary health educators by the National Institutes of Health, she will be speaking on motivating teens to help others.

September Ponder front page

More Walden news