Although it occured a few weeks ago, I gave my first public presentation on what I have learned as a result of community engagement over the past year.

Today’s Guest Speaker: Ryan Rasmussen

I was invited to speak before Northwestern’s new ‘Word of Mouth Marketing and Communications’ graduate classroom, offered as part of the Integrated Marketing Communications Program at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. [about]

I always felt a bit more comfortable speaking in text (perhaps a shared symptom of an emerging digital culture.) However, I am pleased to have presented relatively effectively. For my first presentation, I think it went well.

Driving back home along Lake Michigan on Lake Shore Dr., I discovered something surprising. I was fixated on the student experience of the presentation rather than my own. Teaching the tools of collaboration, sharing the stories, and encouraging the pace of innovative ideation among peers was the real value of this experience to me. I left wanting to have done more.

The volley of ideas within this group is live, in public view, and streaming with critical responses to the learning experience – NUWOM student posts