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POSTPONED: Dixon Lecture on Positive Communication

11/07/2014

UPDATE, Nov. 7: Due to a serious family illness, the presentation by Gary Dixon has been POSTPONED.  A new date will be announced.

JONESBORO – Gary Dixon, director of the Foundation for a Better Life, will be the next speaker in the 2014-15 Lecture-Concert Series at Arkansas State University.

Dixon will present a lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in the Carl R. Reng Student Union Auditorium (GPS 101 N. Caraway Road).  In addition to the Lecture-Concert Series, the College of Media and Communication and the College of Business are sponsors for the presentation.

Dr. Brad Rawlins, dean of Media and Communication, explained why A-State students should be interested in Dixon's message.

"Everyone’s probably seen the ‘Pass It On’ advertisements that promote good character and values that appear on billboards and television commercials," he said.  "The efforts to promote values such as sportsmanship, service, inspiration, passion and giving back are much needed in our society and hopefully balance the discouraging news and information that bombards us every day.”

He emphasized that Dixon has spent many years advancing positive values.

"We hope that Arkansas State students might share their own stories that promote these values.  Currently there are several students from universities such as Harvard, the University of Kansas, the University of Oklahoma, Fordham and Marquette that have shared their inspirational stories on the foundation’s website,” Rawlins added.

The Foundation for a Better Life is a nonpartisan, nonsectarian organization that creates public service campaigns of inspiring messages to communicate values that make a difference.  This presentation should help bring out the best in people with a wide range of ideals, viewpoints and cultural backgrounds.

Dixon has been a speaker at regional and national advertising conferences for the American Advertising Federation and a keynote speaker for several events.  He has a master’s degree in communications from Brigham Young University and a bachelor’s in broadcasting from Texas Tech University.  He serves on the national board of directors for the College of Media and Communication at TTU.

Admission is free to this and all events in the Lecture-Concert Series, according to Dr. Tim Crist, chair of the Lecture-Concert Committee.

The Lecture-Concert Series serves Arkansas State and the surrounding communities by bringing notable guest speakers and performers of diverse backgrounds and wide appeal to the campus, according to Crist.  Many of the Lecture-Concert Series events include additional campus activities as well as community outreach projects. 

For more details about the series, interested individuals may visit the Lecture-concert Series website, http://www.astate.edu/lectureconcert, or contact Crist, tcrist@astate.edu, (870) 972‑2094.

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Gary Dixon
Gary Dixon