The "real-life Hitch" and 12-time National Collegiate Speaker of the Year, David Coleman, and 2006 Educator of the Year, Stacey Watson, will both be featured at this year's Pillars Conference hosted by the University at Buffalo's chapter of the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society.
Mortar Board, Inc. is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for their achievements in scholarship, leadership and service and provides opportunities for continued leadership development. It also promote and encourage lifelong contributions to the global community, according to its website.
David Coleman, also known as the "Dating Doctor," lives by the motto, "Where is it said that learning can't be fun and entertainment can't be life-changing?" As the Student Activities Director at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, Coleman created a program called "creative dating" on campus. Shortly thereafter, he took his program to major conferences at several colleges. He assures his audiences that they will leave the conference with a new passion and satisfaction.
"I am not your ‘normal' speaker. I am more of an entertainer with a powerful, life-changing message," Coleman said.
The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN have featured his work throughout their newspapers and broadcasts. Coleman is constantly interviewed about his advice on dating, relationships, romance, sex, marriage, and divorce. In the past 15 years, the Dating Doctor has made 2,750 appearances. He strives to visit at least 150 colleges per year.
Coleman intends to stress at the Pillars Conference "that it doesn't take much more effort than normal to live a remarkable life and to make a difference in the lives of others." He stresses that it is extremely important to get out of our own way and stop believing that things are too hard or impossible for us to achieve.
Stacey Watson, alumnus of Buffalo State College, will be the second featured speaker of the conference. As the Executive Director of the South Buffalo Education Center, Watson will assist conference attendees in employing leadership to promote change within their university community.
"We chose Stacey Watson because she's remarkable," said Julie Smith, the faculty advisor for the UBLODGE chapter of Mortar Board. "She's from Western New York, and she took kids that had been labeled ‘unteachable' and got them to take the GED, with over 80 percent passing and 34 percent going on to college."
She is on the organizational committee for the Sgt. Daniel Shaw Memorial Benefit and the AIDS Family Services Center Stage Event, and serves as the Leadership Buffalo Region Guide for the Buffalo Bills Rookie Tour. As a resident of Buffalo, she is a useful resource, especially to UB students.
The conference is on this Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the Student Union Theater. Tickets are available to UB students for $5 and $10 for non-UB students.
"We want to turn the ordinary into remarkable with this conference," Smith said.
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