Speaking Engagements and Workshops

Of all of life’s big questions, “What do you believe?” is one of the most important. And for many, the answer may be one of the hardest to actually put into words. By asking individuals to write and share their personal philosophies, This I Believe hopes to encourage people to express the core principles that guide their daily lives, and to develop acceptance of—and even respect for—beliefs different from one’s own.

Dan Gediman is executive director of This I Believe, a non-profit organization that collects and shares these core personal philosophies of people from all walks of life. Dan is available for speaking engagements or to lead a workshop. Please contact us for more information.

Speaking Engagements Offered

First-Year Experience/All-School Read/Summer Read – Many incoming college freshman classes are asked to read a This I Believe book to prepare for the transition from high school to college. Many high schools and universities have chosen one of our books for an All-School Read or Summer Read, and then participate in writing and discussion activities after reading the books. A speaking engagement with Dan Gediman is a unique way to engage students after having read This I Believe or This I Believe II.

“One-Book” Community-Wide Reading Programs – One book projects involve broad community participation of a city, town, school campus, or library system. A speaking engagement with This I Believe is an ideal kick-off or culminating event.

Essay-Writing Workshop – A full-day workshop invites participants to read and listen to recorded This I Believe essays of others, and then write and share one’s own personal philosophy. This workshop is ideal for conferences, retreats, or corporate meetings.

Previous Engagements

Colleges/Universities
• University of Central Arkansas (Ark.)
• Shenandoah University (Va.)
• Davidson College (N.C.)
• Lindsey Wilson College (Ky.)
• Endicott College (Mass.)

Libraries
• Bettendorf Public Library (Quad Cities)
• Handley Regional Library (Winchester, Va.)
• Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library (Ind.)
• Louisville Free Public Library (Ky.)

Corporations/Organizations
• Leadership Philadelphia (Pa.)
• iFest (Barcelona, Spain)
• IdeaFestival (Ky.)
• Starbucks (Wash.)
• Healthways (Tenn.)

Book Festivals
• Southern Book Festival
• Virginia Festival of the Book
• St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading (Fla.)
• Wisconsin Book Festival
• Texas Book Festival
• Kentucky Book Fair

This is an excerpt from a program, “The History of This I Believe,” that was recorded on September 20, 2008, and produced for broadcast on Insight cable television by This I Believe, Inc. It features a speech given by This I Believe Executive Producer Dan Gediman.