National Louis University
11/12/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 11/12/2024 10:34
What to Watch: NLU Launches Its Second Season of Fireside Chats
Last winter, NLU piloted a new guest speaker series called Fireside Chats. Unlike most speaker series, this event is a relaxed, unscripted conversation between the guest and the interviewer, who is usually a student. Fireside Chat guests are high-profile individuals discussing how they overcame challenges to succeed.
The first season consisted of six "chats" with guests including Pete Kadens (NLU Trustee and Chairman, Kadens Family Foundation), Monique Rodriguez (Founder and CEO, Mielle Organics), Lori Lightfoot (former Mayor, City of Chicago), Jahmal Cole (Founder and CEO, My Block My Hood My City), Dorri McWhorter (President and CEO, YMCA Metropolitan Chicago), and Crane Kenney (Chicago Cubs President of Business Operations). Nearly 300 students attended the events and expressed their enthusiasm that the Fireside Chats continue into a second season.
And continue it has! On October 22, students poured into the Chicago campus atrium for the first Fireside Chat of the 2024/2025 Academic Year. The second season's inaugural guest was Cecil Martin, a former starter for the Philadelphia Eagles and an advocate for community service and education. Currently, Martin is the Major Gift Officer in Medical Advancement Philanthropy for the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Interviewed by Tatiana Roberts, Director of NLU's First Year Academic Experience, Martin shared his insights into professional success through personal growth. He emphasized the importance of a calm, focused mindset.
When asked about facing obstacles and the ensuing frustrations, Martin said, "No matter how angry and upset you get, take a deep breath. Don't let the frustration cause a bigger problem." Martin also emphasized the value of mentors, such as coaches and teachers. This resonates with NLU's undergraduates who rely on personalized support from their success coaches and advisors. Martin acknowledged that noise and distractions can impede focus, and he stressed the importance of minimizing distractions and keeping your eye on the prize-such as graduating college or scoring one's dream job. He also cautioned against complacency. Reciting the proverb, "An idle mind is a devil's playground," Martin extolled the value of curiosity.
Fireside Chat Q&A student moderator Daylontie Jasper, a Communication and Media major, expressed his feelings about the Season 2 kickoff: "It was nice seeing someone in sports succeed on and off the court. This gives me hope that hard work can be shown through books and barbells."
The Fireside Chats work to empower students to try their hardest and be their best selves, and demonstrate how these qualities can help students get their foot in the door career-wise after graduation. As Martin said, "You never know who's watching."
The next Fireside Chat welcomes Chicago Bear Kyler Gordon and will take place on Tuesday, November 19, 12-1 p.m., 122 S. Michigan Ave. 2nd floor atrium.