As part of the Countdown to 19, a celebration of inauguration events leading up to President Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D.’s formal investiture ceremony on Oct. 29, the Mercer University community is invited to attend Let Your Life Speak: A Fireside Chat with President Elkins on Oct. 22 in the Presidents Dining Room in Macon. The evening will begin with networking at 5:30 p.m., followed by the fireside conversation at 6 p.m.
The free event will feature a conversation with the president followed by a moderated audience question-and-answer session. Inspired by Parker J. Palmer’s book Let Your Life Speak, the discussion will explore themes of purpose, vocation and leadership. The event is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners, including those who have not read the book. A livestreamed video of the fireside chat will also be available at inauguration.mercer.edu/fireside-chat.
The event is facilitated by the Center for Leadership, Ethics and Service.
“Let Your Life Speak raises questions that are deeply personal, but also very universal —questions about purpose, calling, identity and the kind of life we want to lead,” said Juanita Kimiyo Forrester, Ph.D., director of the Center for Leadership, Ethics and Service.
Faculty and staff are invited to additional in-person meetings in Macon and Atlanta to discuss the book. These gatherings will consist of guided discussion and reflection on themes from Let Your Life Speak, with a focus on purpose, vocation, leadership and how one’s gifts and experiences shape service to others. Registration is required for these faculty- and staff-only conversations.
The Center for Leadership, Ethics and Service is offering a limited number of hard copies of the book, and faculty and staff may request one when signing up. Mercer students, faculty and staff can access an electronic version of the text through the Mercer University Libraries.
“The book club gives us a chance to slow down, reflect together, and learn from the experiences and perspectives of colleagues across the Mercer community,” Forrester said. “Our hope is that the conversations build not only insight, but also relationships and a stronger sense of shared community around the values that shape how we lead, serve and contribute.”
The book club is part of Building Character on Purpose, a grant-funded initiative through the Center for Leadership, Ethics and Service. The initiative focuses on cultivating communities among faculty, staff and students to strengthen Mercer’s institutional culture of character.
“Let Your Life Speak fits naturally with the center’s work to strengthen leadership and character because it invites readers to think deeply about purpose, identity and vocation — who they are, what gifts they bring and how those gifts can be used in service to others. Those questions are central to how we think about character-driven leadership,” Forrester said. “Our broader initiative focuses not only on what students and members of our community know about leadership and character but on who they are becoming. Palmer’s emphasis on listening to one’s life, recognizing our gifts and limitations, and discerning a sense of purpose gives us a meaningful way to explore that formation.”
