Titan Talks

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Titan Talks: Webinar Series features IWU alumni, friends, supporters, faculty and staff who are leaders in their field, faculty with insight on their research, and staff with updates on their respective areas. The Titan Talks: Webinar Series is a lifelong learning and engagement opportunity for the Illinois Wesleyan Community. Sign up and tune in to gain insight, skill, inspiration, and more.  

Upcoming Titan Talks

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: What Is It and Why Is It Important?” with Dakesa Piña, PhD, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Illinois Wesleyan University

In this upcoming presentation, IWU’s new VP of DEI will explore the multifaceted aspects of DEI, elucidating its concepts, significance, and impact in both educational and professional environments. The talk will emphasize the critical importance of establishing a diverse and inclusive environment to foster equity and enhance the experiences and successes of the entire IWU community.

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

12 – 1 pm CST

Registration coming soon!

Frequently Asked Questions | Suggest a Titan Talks Speaker


Past Webinar Recordings

Firing Yourself: When to Leave Your W2
Presenter: Kory Dieter '06
Thursday, October 26, 2023 | 12 p.m. CT 
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Data-Driven Marketing & the Power of Data Science
Presenter: Stacey McClenathan '92
Wednesday, August 30, 2023 | 12 p.m. CT 
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Artificial Intelligence: Promise or Panic?
Presenter: Tom Wetzel '72
Wednesday, July 26, 2023 | 12 p.m. CT 
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Dropping Anchor: My New Approach to News
Presenter: Demetria Kalodimos '81
Thursday, June 22, 2023 | 12 p.m. CT 
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Unlocking the Brilliance in Yourself, Your Colleagues, and Your Organization
Presenter: Alan Gregerman
Monday, May 22, 2023 | 12 p.m. CT 
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The Entrepreneurial Spirit in Higher Education: Opportunities and Challenges
Presenter: Kris Condon '84
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 | 12 p.m. CT 
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An Insider's Guide to the College Admissions and Financial Aid Process
Presenters: Kasey Evans '12 and Scott Seibring '85
Tuesday, March 22, 2023 | 12 p.m. CT 
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The Latest on Titan Athletics
Presenters: Mike Wagner and Tony Bankston '91
Tuesday, January 24, 2023 | 12 p.m. CT 
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Title IX Turns 50! A Look at the Evolution of Title IX Legislation to Present Day Practice
Presenters: Cindy Lotz, Pam Jacklin '66, and Barb Cothren
Thursday, December 15, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT 
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Innovation Series - From Idea to Exit
Presenter: Will Jenkins '12, Co-Founder of MoLo Solutions
Tuesday, November 29, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT 
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Titans Hiring Titans
Presenters: Warren Kistner '83 and David Rasho '01
Tuesday, October 19, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT 
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Innovation Series - Driving Innovation at Scale
Presenter: Haden Kirkpatrick, Vice President of Innovation at State Farm®
Tuesday, August 30, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT 
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SECURE ACT: The Ticking Tax Time Bomb
Presenter: Jordan Fish, CFP, IWU Director for Advancement and Gift Planning 
Thursday, July 28, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT
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A Roadmap to Flexible Work
Presenters: Kara Lazarus '95, Principal and Founder of Think Pink Idea Consulting, and Margo Christou, Founder of Conexa Search
Thursday, June 16, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT
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Innovation Series - Cloudy with a Chance of Disruption
Presenter: Marc Talluto '94, Founder of Fruition Partners and Chairman of Thirdera 
Thursday, May 17, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT
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The State of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Illinois Wesleyan
Presenters: Kevin Carey '13, Associate Dean of Students, with Mya Morales '22, Clayton Anderson '23
Hosted by: Karla Carney-Hall, Dean of Students
Thursday, April 7, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT
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Illinois Wesleyan University Esports: A Focus on Competition, Community & Career
Presenter: Cora Kennedy, Director of Illinois Wesleyan Esports
Wednesday, February 9, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT
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Innovation Series - Crypto: 21st Century Gold or Just Fool's Gold
Presenter: Alan Fisher, Serial Entrepreneur & Active Technology Investor
Thursday, January 20, 2022 | 12 p.m. CT
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An Evening with Bill Damaschke '85
Hosted and moderated by Hannah Dhue ’15, TV Mastering Manager at Walt Disney Studios. Presented in partnership with the IWU Pride Alumni Community and IWU School of Theatre Arts
Thursday, May 13, 2021 | 7 p.m. CT
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Leaders in Education-Rising to the Challenges of COVID-19
Presenters: Gianina Baker ’04, Ph.D., John Camardella ’03, Amy DeBoer ’15, 
Marsha Guenzler-Stevens ’78, Ph.D., and Erin Moran ’12, Ph.D. 
Tuesday, October 27, 2020 | 6 – 7:30 p.m.
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Tackling Climate Change
Presenter: Karen Petersen ’07
Climate Change Project Manager for the Illinois Chapter of The Nature Conservancy
Moderator: Professor Given Harper
George C. and Ella Beach Lewis Endowed Chair of Biology
Tuesday, October 20, 2020 | 7 - 8 p.m. CT
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Resilience, Relevance + Reinvention: Choral Music in the COVID Age
Presenter: Dr. Scott Ferguson
Friday, October 9, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CT
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Saving Children’s Lives: An Insider’s Look into the Work of a Pediatric Congenital Interventional Cardiologist
Presenter: Dr. Todd Gudausky ’95
Friday, October 9, 2020 | 10 - 11 a.m. CT
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From Rehearsal to Red Carpet: A Theatrical Conversation with Richard and Sharon Jenkins ’69
Presenters: Richard Jenkins ’69 and Sharon Jenkins ’69
Moderator: Andy Kreiss ’86
Thursday, October 8, 2020 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. CT
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Doing Well and Doing Good: Young Leaders Living Their Purpose in the Nonprofit World
Presenters: Lauren Rock '13, Kate Tombaugh '07, Dan Weishar, and Angela Mehalek
Moderator: Bevin Choban '10
Tuesday, October 6, 2020 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. CT
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Back to College Class - Beyond the Border: The Law for Asylum Seekers
Presenter: Sara T. Ghadiri '11, Robert M. Montgomery Outstanding Young Alumni Award Winner
Tuesday, October 6, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CT
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Back to College Class - Child Abuse: Signs for Prevention and Effects of COVID-19
Presenter: Dr. Raymond “Pete” Davis Jr. ’80, Distinguished Alumni Award Winner
Monday, October 5, 2020 | 6 - 7 p.m. CT
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Turning the Page: New Beginnings with the School of Music
Presenters: Dr. Sey Ahn, Director of Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble and Dr. Bradley Regier, Assistant Professor of Music Education
Moderator: Dr. Bill Hudson, Associate Professor of Music and Associate Director of the School of Music
Thursday, September 3, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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Staying Emotionally Balanced During the Time of COVID-19
Presenters: Qiana Cryer-Coupet ’06, Megan Henry ’12, Dr. Patrick McGrath ’93, 
Barb Nathan ’80, Dr. Erin Zerth ’03
Moderator: Professor Linda Kunce
Tuesday, August 25, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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The Future of the School of Music
Presenter: Dr. Franklin Larey, Director and Professor of the School of Music
Moderator: Todd French ’93, President, String Works, Inc.
Thursday, August 20, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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Front Line Leaders in the Fight Against COVID-19
Presenters: Dr. Ben Killey ’99, Emergency Room Doctor; Janna Morgan ’10, RN, Intensive Care Nurse; Dr. Paul Pedersen ’73, Chief Medical Officer at OSF
Moderator: 
Dr. Vickie Folse ’86, Professor, Director and Caroline F. Rupert Chair of Nursing; Interim Executive Director of Counseling and Health Services 
Tuesday, August 4, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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White Allyship and Solidarity: How to Be Part of the Solution Against Anti-Black Racism
Presenters: Kevin Carey ’13, Jessica Bondalapati ’11, Dr. Libby Haywood
Moderator: Nicole Chlebek ’16
Tuesday, July 28, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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Activism and Advocacy in the Latinx Community
Presenters: Melissa Ramirez ’14, Citlalli Gonzalez ’18, Tristan Gunn ’04
Moderator: Yesenia Martinez Calderon ’20

Tuesday, July 21, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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English Transcript

Father and Son: An Introspective Dialogue of Life as Black Men  
Presenters: David Wilkins '74 and Nate Wilkins '17
Moderator: Dr. Brandon Common, Assistant Vice President 
of Student Affairs 
Tuesday, June 30, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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Invisibility of Black Women in Leadership
Presenters: Dr. Monica Hall '90, Jazmyne Kellogg '16, Dr. Ade Olayinka '11,  Alani Sweezy '19, Amanda Toney-Logan '74, Lois Wilkins '75
Thursday, June 18, 2020 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. CDT
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Titan Community Conversations: Follow-up to 
"How We Got Here: Racism + Higher Education"

Dr. Derrick Tillman-Kelly ’09 to lead conversation
Thursday, June 11, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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How We Got Here: Racism + Higher Education
Presenter: Dr. Derrick Tillman-Kelly ’09
Director of the UIA Fellows Program and Network Engagement, University Innovation Alliance
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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Special Q&A  
Presented by: President Georgia Nugent
Friday, May 29, 2020 | 12 – 1 p.m. CDT
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Crisis Leadership: the Chrysalis of Opportunity
Presenter: Mike Mason ’80
Sr. VP & Chief Security Officer of Verizon Communications
Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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COVID-19 and the Limits of Federal Crisis Management
Presenter: Dr. David Priess '93
Thursday, May 14, 2020 | 12 – 1 p.m. CDT
Chief Operating Officer, Lawfare Institute
Writer and speaker on the presidency, intelligence, and national security
Former CIA Intelligence Officer
Recording unavailable due to technical difficulties

Illinois Wesleyan Today and Tomorrow
Presenter: President Georgia Nugent
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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High Stakes Conversations: Skills for Interviews, Digital Meetings, and Using Your Virtual Voice
Presenters: Casey Erin Clark '04 and Julie Fogh
Co-Founders of Vital Voice Training
Thursday, April 30, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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Five Skills to Lead Where You Are
Presenter: Jordan Diehl Mann '12
Associate Marketing Manager, Spencer Stuart
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 | 6 - 7 p.m. CDT
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You've Got Range: Using Lessons from IWU to Create Success
Presenter: Erick Henderson '12
Optometrist, McCauley Celin Eyecare
Tuesday, April 28, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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The Epidemiology of SARS-CoV2
Presenter: Dr. John Herrmann '74
Thursday, April 23, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
Recording unavailable due to technical difficulties
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Leading the Manufacturing Pivot and Hustle During COVID-19
Presenter: Mark Denzler '93
Thursday, April 9, 2020 | 12 - 1 p.m. CDT
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