Knowledge Cafe Topics Announced at Miami University VOA Learning Center

Topics and speakers for October and November session of The Knowledge Café, held at Miami University’s Voice of America Learning Center, have been announced:

October 11 – “Building Goodwill Through Community Engagement.” Duane Gordon, Executive Director of the Middletown Community Foundation, will share tips and suggestions for how your business may enlarge its civic engagement footprint and find opportunities to make the community a better place while taking advantage of the benefits this goodwill generates for your business.

October 25 – “Tom Rath’s Strengths Finder 2.0.” Dr. Susan Baim, Professor of Commerce on the Miami University Regional Campuses, will use Using the Strengths Finder 2.0 book as a guide and show how well-rounded teams pull together and display a cohesive unit in each of the four areas of action. Tips will be provided for maximizing each team member’s contributions to the team’s collective goals and/or objectives.

November 8 – “Managing Your Online Brand.” Christian Sheehy, Digital Initiatives Librarian for Xavier University, will primarily focus on LinkedIn, but also include other social networking tools. Mr. Sheehy will explore how to define your online brand while concurrently building your professional network. Techniques appropriate for the individual and approaches best suited for businesses will be covered.

November 29 – “An Introduction to Social Media in Asia.” Jerry Martin, Regional Director of the English Language Center at Miami University, together with Ekaterina Gay, Katie Vogel, and Jessie Braine from his staff, will provide an interactive discussion on how social media technologies and usage have evolved in Asia. Come and learn what norms are the same and what differs between typical US and Asian practices with an eye on both personal and business communications.

The Knowledge Café, led by Dr. Susan Baim, is patterned after a European concept of “Knowledge Cafes” designed to build a body of collective knowledge on topics of mutual interest. Participants contribute their own expertise to discussions and forums while learning from experts on the topics of interest.

The Knowledge Café meets at the Miami University Voice of America Learning Center from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Sessions are always free and light refreshments will be provided at no charge to participants. RSVPs are requested, but not required, and can be made to Dr. Baim at baimsa@miamioh.edu, or by calling (513) 727-3444.