This morning, I keynoted a Student Government conference in Italy while casually dressed in my shorts here in sunny Florida.
Student leaders at John Cabot University in Rome asked ASGA to keynote their second-annual Student Government conference for English-speaking institutions in the region.
Last night, about 2:00 a.m., I tested the Skype video and phone system with the host school, and then this morning about 11:30, spoke for 30 minutes on the role of Student Government here in American colleges and universities.
I dressed in my nice shirt, tie, and suit coat, but had on shorts and sandals from the waist down. Why this ridiculous outfit? I was only seen on the small Logitech computer video camera set up on my screen. They could see and hear me over Skype, and they showed the image on a big screen at the college.
I could hear my voice a second later in the background because of the time lag going across the big pond.
This conference today is so unlike ASGA's 10 events, like the one in New Orleans last weekend. I have to drive or fly, prepare for weeks in advance, ship dozens of boxes of materials ahead of time. It's a lot of work.
This conference was such a breeze comparatively because of the use of technology. It tells me that perhaps ASGA could be leading international conferences for Student Governments in the future?
Tomorrow, I lead another workshop on elections and transitioning at 10:00 EST. Rome is six hours ahead, so it will be the end of the day there.
It was a wild experience doing this Italy conference this morning. I enjoyed it and I think the audience appreciated it as well.
Butch Oxendine is founder and executive director of ASGA, the national professional association that serves and supports collegiate Student Governments. www.asgaonline.com
1 comment:
That's a taste of what's coming with conferences, trainings, and keynotes. CNN is using holograms to project famous people right in their studio. The college market is not that far off.
Speakers will be live in one spot, but broadcast around the world to audiences at almost next to nothing for the school to produce.
Throughout an ASGA conf there will be top speakers from around the world but for a tiny fraction the cost because they are sitting at home with a suit and tie on the top and swim trunks on the bottom.
It's only a matter of time now.
Yes in person is still magical, but it costs money and time. Money schools often don't have and time speakers often don't have.
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