Mary Gagné, director of the Texas Academy of Leadership Humanities, announces that the 2008 Futurism Symposium, Medical Issues: Health for the Future Good of Humanity, will be presented Monday, Feb. 11 and Tuesday, Feb. 12 at Lamar University.
"This is the first year we have divided our annual symposium into two days," Gagné said. "As our students began researching health issues this fall, their intense interest in the subject became obvious. Not only are many of our students committed to a profession in medicine, but their leadership training here at the academy inspires them to understand the critical importance of health care in their future.
"As the excitement about the project continued to build, the wealth of research sources also expanded. It became apparent that this year’s symposium was something special. As a team, we made the decision to format the event into a two evening presentation. This is education at its best, propelled by the students’ commitment to learning."
The Feb. 11 session is 3 p.m. in room 106 of the Maes Building, and features the results of the Academy’s multi-leveled leadership training. Topics include The Future or Folly of Healthcare; Balance: Genetically Modified Food and Living an Active Life; Side Effects Include: Pharmaceuticals in Our Lives; Life: the Heart Healthy Way vs. the Technical Way; Living Extremes: A Study in Eating Disorders; Futurism Techniques; and Quality vs. Quality of Life.
Each presentation is the work of student teams headed by captains Ashley Graham, Brittany Graham, Courtney Jordan, Seema Kansara, Colleen Menegaz, Garrett Vick, and Lauren Williams.
The Feb. 12 Futurism session
— Medical Issues: Health for the Future Good of Humanity — begins at 6:30 p.m. in the University Reception Center on the 8th floor of the Mary and John Gray Library. The evening’s events include a summary of academy students’ presentations and a special addresses on current and future trends by local health professionals. The keynote speakers are Dr. Randy Lombardo, cardiology; Dr. Scott McKenney, oncology, and Dr. Girish Kansara, internal medicine.
"The goal of our Futurism project is really four-fold," Gagné said. "First, it is about teaching responsible leadership. Next is the idea that in the future, action and positive change will be the product of community
— not just for individual advancement — but for the common good. The skills to work productively and compassionately within the framework of a team will continue to grow as a vital element in success. Thirdly, it is the responsibility of every active citizen to be informed about issues that affect the individual and his or her community. Futurism promotes that ideal.
"And finally, by teaching our students through our Futurism Symposium, we encourage the patterns of the visionary within our students," Gagné said. "They come to realize that by using their natural intellect and education
– both academic and moral – they can contribute to a future that is guided by the finest principles of humankind."
For more information about the program, or the Texas Academy of Leadership in the Humanities, call (409) 839-2995, or visit
www.texasacademy.org.
