Engaging Students and Understanding Their World

How do you get the attention of students? Once you do, how do you keep it? Students in your school need to feel like they matter from the start at orientation until the end at graduation.

For nearly a decade, Blake lived and closely worked with thousands of students in a college setting. The conversations that happen in an office are valuable, but living in the same environment as students will teach you so much more. This keynote is filled with Blake’s lessons learned from his front line work with students. He shares strategies, systems and insights that will help any professional engage students when they first arrive and acknowledge them along the way.

People will walk away with strategies to implement actions of appreciation, recognition and thoughtfulness into the daily routines of students, staff and campus partners. Each idea will start a series of actions that let students and staff know how much they matter, essentially creating a more positive campus community for all of its members.

Topics Covered

• The “Engage and Acknowledge” Spectrum
• Developing systems and tools to meaningfully and authentically interact with students
• The 3 motivators for students and leveraging them to get the attention of students
• Approaching work with the student in mind, at all times
• 500 Extra Hours: Generating extra hours in your work week, regardless of your role
• Finding fascination (rather than frustration) in the student world
• Saying thank you: Making others matter through the power of appreciation

Preparing Parents For Their Child’s College Life (Parent Keynote)

Starting college or university is a massive transition for students AND their parents. This new time for students brings new questions for families.

“How much is tuition?”, “How much is residence?”, “Which program is ideal?”, “Which school is most safe?”, “Will my baby ever come back?”

Blake knows these questions exist because he worked with college freshmen for nearly a decade, as well as their parents.

In this session, Blake provides parents with reassurance and resources before they send their child to campus. He combines storytelling and case studies of what life is like for families transitioning out of high school and into university. Whether the child commutes to campus or flies overseas to get an education, this program is loaded with insights.

Blake highlights the real motivators for students, the common pieces to campus culture and the “challenging interactions” he has had with parents on campus. He presents ideas and action steps to successfully transition parents and students into the post-secondary world. Also, parents will leave this session with powerful conversation starters to spark dialogues with their kids before they head to campus.

Topics Covered

• The 3 Ps of Preparation to get ready for freshman year
• Appreciative Communication: Communicating about the “tough stuff” before your child goes to campus
• Getting the university/ college to help you help your child
• The Support Spectrum: Supporting students, without stifling them
• Trusting that your child will succeed in school
• Before They Go: The 2 words that bring parents and kids closer before campus life begins