52 Ways To Make
a Difference Featured at Open House
UC San Diego Extension “Change The World” Event on March 20
February 4, 2008
By Henry DeVries
Discover new career paths, learn about innovative social enterprises and listen to life-transforming speakers at the “Change the World” themed UC San Diego Extension Spring Open House from 5 to 7 pm Thursday, March 20 in the Price Center Ballroom on the UC San Diego Campus in La Jolla.
Sponsored by the continuing education arm of the university, the free event will feature 52 different ways to change the world – enough for every week of the year. The open house includes exhibits, demonstrations, roundtable discussions, speakers, music, and the opportunity to network with cause-oriented companies and career services experts. Free parking is available in the Gilman Parking Structure, located at the intersection of Gilman Drive and Villa La Jolla Drive.
Will Marre, author and leadership guru, will speak on “How to Change the World and Still Get Home for Dinner.” Marre is the co-founder and former president of the Covey Leadership Center where he translated the concepts of Stephen Covey’s "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" into powerful leadership courses taught to over one million executives worldwide. As CEO of the ReaLeadership Alliance, he helps leaders identify, communicate and implement new social-strategic models.
Many facets of the arts will be represented. Photographer Leland Forrester will present a photo lecture on “The Power of Imagery to Change the World” and Andre Jackson, a professional floral designer with 17 years experience, will create a floral arrangement that one attendee will get to take home as a prize. Judy Reeves, the author of four books including A Writer’s Book of Days and The Writer’s Retreat Kit, will be meeting with writers and reading a new work of her fiction. Enrollees of the UC San Diego Jazz Camp will perform in a jazz combo.
Open house attendees will also discover how to proactively change the world through fundraising, grant writing, and doing volunteer work in foreign lands.
“If helping others makes you feel good, why not make doing a good deed the centerpiece of your next vacation?” says Bob Benson, who will discuss UC San Diego Extension’s new Center for Global Volunteer Service. “Voluntourists can plan entire vacations around a cause they believe in, or they can simply devote a day or two of a trip to it.”
In addition to traditional courses offered on campus, the Center for Global Volunteer Service offers two online courses for people interested in a vacation with a purpose. Voluntourism, combining a trip abroad with volunteering on local projects, has been a growing trend since people around the world felt compelled to pitch in and help victims of the 2004 tsunami that disrupted the lives of people from Indonesia to India. Last year, one in four travelers expressed interest in taking a volunteer or service-based vacation.
At the open house UC San Diego Extension is offering a 10 percent discount for anyone who enrolls that day for courses in the spring term that begins in April. In addition, the UC San Diego Bookstore is offering a 20 percent discount that day on books, gifts and clothing for all open house attendees.
Please register early to reserve a space. Refreshments will be served. To register, or for more information, visit extension.ucsd.edu/openhouse or call 858-534-3400.
Media Contact: Henry DeVries, 619-540-3031 or 858-534-9955
