Bradley hosted its first-ever TEDx event Wednesday night, presenting university faculty, entrepreneurs and government leaders to speak on a variety of topics.
This latest program is one example of many ways Bradley and its professors provide special guests, performers and alumni for the benefit of students.
For example, the English department brings a successful author or poet to campus as a part of the Visiting Writers’ Series once or twice a semester. Mathematician and writer Manil Suri visited in April 2023, enchanting attendees with discussions on how blending math and English birthed some of his best novels.
This series is a way for students to directly hear from people in the fields they’re interested in, enjoy a fiction or poetry reading and receive advice on how to get published.
In the College of Communication and Fine Arts, music business majors partake in a required six-semester seminar program wherein guests from across the industry share their experiences. This provides an opportunity to network and explore career options. Guests range from performing artists, talent buyers, music products sales professionals and full-time composers.
Additionally, Bradley hosts the annual Charlie Steiner Symposium where alumni speak with students. The event is an excellent way for students, especially sports communication majors, to connect with former Braves and see what the future holds. In 2023, Bradley hosted Larry Larson, former Brave and founder of Clutch Sports Media. Clutch started as an idea and is now the premium platform for Central Illinois high school sports. As students, we sometimes doubt whether we chose the wrong major or career. The Steiner Symposium helps soothe those worries.
Another department that invests in student learning by bringing in guests is art. A requirement for every art major is that they must attend Visual Voices lectures for two semesters; however, all students are welcome to watch. This series invites several guest speakers each semester to provide explanations on what they are doing with their careers today and how they got there.
Students hear from painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers and more. Graduates of art programs often do not know what they will do after graduation. It is encouraging to hear from those who are successful and what their process looked like.
Every year, the Bradley administrators and professors bring in relevant and intriguing guest speakers for students to learn about career paths and opportunities. Through these speakers, students will understand that everyone’s professional trajectory may look different, but they can still be successful and find what works for them.