Spring Break
Two-day conference brings diversity to campus
Speakers emphasize importance of cross-cultural communication
Timothy Langton
Issue date: 4/23/07 Section: Campus News
Cultures and ideas from around the globe came together Friday and Saturday at UW-Eau Claire for the first annual Cross-Cultural Perspectives of Visual Communication Conference.
The two-day event, held in Davies Center, with national and international presenters and speakers from colleges as close as UW-Stout, to as far away as the University of the Pacific in California and Florida State University participating in the conference.
"It's a glimpse of the world and diversity," associate professor in the department of art and design Li-Ying Bao said. Bao was one of the key organizers of the event, which she said was aimed at bringing a broader perspective on visual communication to students at UW-Eau Claire.
"(Students) can understand global culture and the global village," Bao said of the conference.
Eau Claire's Continuing Education office, as well as various members of the university and other departments helped sponsor and organize the event, she said.
The conference was designed for university communication, art and design instructors and students as well as secondary art and communication teachers, according to the event's brochure.
Bao said national and international professors were brought in to share ideas while also creating a friendly and academic environment for students.
"People like the atmosphere," Bao said, describing it as "scholarly and dedicated."
Steve Terwilliger, chair of the art and design department, said the conference was a good place for students to make connections with experts from the field of visual communication and was a good means of showing students the significance of cross-cultural communication.
"It's not just a side or periphery activity," Terwilliger said. "Communication is extremely important."
The two-day conference featured presentation subjects ranging from tattoo culture to Bollywood, the Indian movie-making business, to new models of communication for children with language disabilities, according to Continuing Education's Web site.
Keynote speakers for the conference were vice president and artist at Basic International Inc. in Chicago, Amy Basic, principal and chairman of Duffy & Partners in Minneapolis, Joe Duffy, and educator and designer chair and associate professor at Iowa State University, Roger Baer.
Senior Crystal Wisnewski, a graphic design major, said the conference provided a wide diversity of concepts and ideas. She said she attended to simply hear the different ideas from around the globe and learn from the people and presenters at the conference.
"It's very informative," Wisnewski said. She said the wide diversity of ideas and perspectives at the conference was impressive.
"I'd definitely come back."
The two-day event, held in Davies Center, with national and international presenters and speakers from colleges as close as UW-Stout, to as far away as the University of the Pacific in California and Florida State University participating in the conference.
"It's a glimpse of the world and diversity," associate professor in the department of art and design Li-Ying Bao said. Bao was one of the key organizers of the event, which she said was aimed at bringing a broader perspective on visual communication to students at UW-Eau Claire.
"(Students) can understand global culture and the global village," Bao said of the conference.
Eau Claire's Continuing Education office, as well as various members of the university and other departments helped sponsor and organize the event, she said.
The conference was designed for university communication, art and design instructors and students as well as secondary art and communication teachers, according to the event's brochure.
Bao said national and international professors were brought in to share ideas while also creating a friendly and academic environment for students.
"People like the atmosphere," Bao said, describing it as "scholarly and dedicated."
Steve Terwilliger, chair of the art and design department, said the conference was a good place for students to make connections with experts from the field of visual communication and was a good means of showing students the significance of cross-cultural communication.
"It's not just a side or periphery activity," Terwilliger said. "Communication is extremely important."
The two-day conference featured presentation subjects ranging from tattoo culture to Bollywood, the Indian movie-making business, to new models of communication for children with language disabilities, according to Continuing Education's Web site.
Keynote speakers for the conference were vice president and artist at Basic International Inc. in Chicago, Amy Basic, principal and chairman of Duffy & Partners in Minneapolis, Joe Duffy, and educator and designer chair and associate professor at Iowa State University, Roger Baer.
Senior Crystal Wisnewski, a graphic design major, said the conference provided a wide diversity of concepts and ideas. She said she attended to simply hear the different ideas from around the globe and learn from the people and presenters at the conference.
"It's very informative," Wisnewski said. She said the wide diversity of ideas and perspectives at the conference was impressive.
"I'd definitely come back."
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