Please join us on Wednesday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m. for the first Mary Talk of the 2017-18 academic year! Mary Talks are lectures and insightful discussions with Mary Washington’s outstanding faculty and administrators; this year’s series kicks off with Anand Rao, Associate Professor of Communication and Director of the Speaking Intensive Program at UMW, presenting Moving Your Audience: Techniques for Persuasive Speaking.

If you feel like your audiences are more resistant and jaded than ever before, you are not alone. Audience members have been inundated with sales pitches, advertisements, and persuasive appeals for years, and they can see through the typical smoke and mirrors. Dr. Rao will share insights into what motivates contemporary audiences and techniques on how to engage an audience and inspire them to take action.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with a question and answer session and a dessert reception to follow the talk. Although this event is free to attend, your registration is kindly requested. Please visit www.alumni.umw.edu/raomarytalk to register. We look forward to seeing you there!

If you will be attending the Mary Talk on September 13, plan to come a bit early and enjoy a wide array of international culinary delights at the Global Café Dinner! This annual culinary event is sponsored by Campus Dining and the Center for International Education to help promote the study abroad programs while offering foods from nearly every corner of the world. The menu will include dishes from Argentina, Spain, Morocco, China, India, Ukraine, England, France, Italy and more!  Alumni and those attending the Mary Talk may purchase dinner for the discounted price of $11, tax included!  Dinner service begins at 5:00 p.m. at the “Top of the UC,” located on the fourth floor of the University Center (former location of Chandler Hall). To make reservations, contact Rose Benedict at 540-654-2169 or e-mail Campus Dining at Dining@UMW.edu.