Dr. Julien Mirivel and Dr. Avinash Thombre, professors of applied communication at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, will present 鈥淭he 7 Elements of Personal Transformation: Key Lessons from Global Research in Nepal, India, Uganda, and Honduras鈥� Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m.

Grounded in data collected in partnership with Heifer International, a global nonprofit whose mission is to 鈥渆nd hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth,鈥� the fall 2023 lecture will share the story of an interdisciplinary research project that began in Nepal in 2019 and spanned four countries across three continents. Based on hundreds of interviews and thousands of survey responses, this leadership lecture will show how any person can harness their agency and communicative power to create real change in their lives and in the life of their community.

The next Leadership Lecture Series will feature Sajni Kumpuris, director of education at Arkansas PBS. She will deliver her lecture, 鈥淩each Out and Touch: Connecting High-Quality Educational and Storytelling Audiences Through Video-Based Content鈥� Feb. 27, 2024.

In the Spring 2024 leadership lecture, the audience will learn about strategies to effectively engage, inspire, and educate audiences through video-based content creation, including storytelling, language, on-camera talent, engagement, and understanding of the viewing audience.

The Leadership Lecture Series features presentations by faculty and graduates of the Department of Applied Communication at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in the areas of communication, management, and leadership.

Both lectures are free and open to the public and will be held virtually via Zoom. You may sign up for the virtual lectures via this online form.

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鈥淚 loved the idea of having a way to empower those who may be struggling to survive,鈥� said Malone, a 2022 graduate of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock who now works as an Ottenheimer Library specialist for digital learning at the university. 鈥淲hen I learned about the opportunity to attend the Heifer International training, naturally, I wanted to be involved.鈥�

Malone was among a group of a dozen 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students and alumni who took part in Heifer International鈥檚 Cornerstones training just before Thanksgiving 2022. The group traveled to the Heifer Farm in Perryville, Arkansas.

Dr. Julien Mirivel, a professor of applied communication, is lead principal investigator of an interdisciplinary research team from the university that is investigating the personal transformation effects of Heifer International鈥檚 efforts to end hunger and poverty and build sustainable communities across the globe. Heifer International has a vision to explore the nature of personal transformation around the globe and measure its impact at the individual level. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is conducting a study on how Heifer鈥檚 approach has impacted communities by partnering with people living in rural areas to help them achieve sustainable living income.

鈥淗eifer International uses an approach called values-based community holistic development,鈥� Mirivel said. 鈥淭hey try to help transform people鈥檚 lives from hopelessness to hopefulness. People who decide to participate with Heifer International form a group of about 20-25 people representing their respective family. They go through multiple trainings, and one of the key trainings is the 鈥淗eifer 12 Cornerstones Training for Just and Sustainable Development.” It introduces Heifer鈥檚 12 Cornerstones in a personal leadership training environment.鈥�

During the training, participants learn about Heifer鈥檚 set of 12 core values known as the 鈥淐ornerstones for Just and Sustainable Development鈥� that form the foundation of Heifer鈥檚 work. The 12 cornerstones include passing on the gift; accountability; sharing and caring; sustainability and self-reliance; improved animal and resource management; nutrition and income; gender and family focus; genuine need and justice; improving the environment; full participation; training, education, and communication; and spirituality.

鈥淚 asked Heifer to go through their Cornerstones training so I could better understand how we can measure and understand transformation,鈥� Mirivel said. 鈥淎s soon as I went through the training, I knew I wanted other students to experience this. Heifer International flew in one of their most experienced community development trainers, Mr. Buddi Khatri, from Nepal, where the work of Heifer has been impactful.鈥�

The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock group consisted of undergraduate and graduate students, students from the Clinton School of Public Service, and alumni from the Department of Applied Communication. Students had the opportunity to attend the Cornerstones session as part of a one-credit hour class. The training course  was a pilot program from the Department of Applied Communication, and the students鈥� trip was subsidized by the dean鈥檚 office in the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences and members of the community advisory council for the department.

鈥淭he training is designed to first develop in each of us a sense of personal leadership and agency that is shaping our lives,鈥� Mirivel said. 鈥淚 want that group of students to become a group of influencers who will have a further impact.鈥�

Mirivel will meet with the training participants during the spring semester to discuss ways that the group can share what they learned to make a positive impact in the community.

鈥淢y hope is that we will be able to integrate the Heifer 12 Cornerstones training and community development model into the campus, thereby creating a community in which people help each other, as well as the community beyond the campus,鈥� Malone said. 鈥淭his training came at a pivotal time of my life as I was seeking the next steps of my life and career. It provided a strategic way for me to assess my values, needs and wants, as well as open up ideas of how I can empower those around me and live mindfully. I am extremely grateful to have had this experience and opportunity to learn about myself and others, and to gain new understandings of how I might be able to uplift and support those around me.鈥�

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