Mar

14

EIU to sponsor women’s safety seminar

Filed Under Erin Weed's Blog | 1 Comment

Eastern Illinois University is delighted to announce its second installment of our Alumni Speakers Series. You’re invited to join fellow alumni and friends for our upcoming EIU Women’s Luncheon: “Inspiring Empowerment.” Please join us for this unique opportunity for networking and a special presentation by Eastern alumna Erin Weed ‘99.

Erin Weed is a professional speaker, author, certified women’s self-defense instructor and Founder/CEO of Girls Fight Back!. She is a personal safety and self-defense expert who has given over 500 seminars at colleges and corporations nationwide. She is a regular contributor to many nationally published magazines and has been featured on CNN, the CBS Early Show, and Fox News, among many other public appearances.

Although there is no cost to attend this event attendees are encouraged to donate a minimum of $10 per person towards one of three EIU supported scholarships.  (Shannon McNamara Outstanding Physical Education Student Scholarship, Brenda Edgar Scholarship for Women or Carol Specht Memorial Scholarship)

Saturday, May 2
10:30 am – Registration
11:00 am – Keynote Speaker Erin Weed ‘99; “Women’s Safety 101″ (open to the public)
12:30 pm – Lunch (Compliments of the EIU Alumni Association – for EIU Alumni only)
Hyatt Regency Woodfield
Mahogany Ballroom
1800 East Golf Road
Schaumburg, IL 60173

To register, call 1-800-ALUM-EIU.

Jul

31

Commencement Speech Video

Filed Under Erin Weed's Blog, Video | Leave a Comment

You may recall a few months ago, I was asked to be the commencement speaker at Eastern Illinois University’s graduation ceremony. Today the video is finally posted, thanks to my web guru Pete Lacis.  Even though I’m a speaker for a living, this was humbling and exciting.  I mean, all those people, about to start a new and exciting chapter of their lives…it’s an energy like no other.  Add that to the fact I wasn’t allow to groin strike anyone on stage, and I was offically out of my element. More scary than anything, however, was the ginormous jumbotron screen directly in front of me.  As I was speaking and looking out at the audience, a much bigger version of myself stared right back.  Kind of a mind freak, if you let it be.  But in situations where I’m not sure of the right thing to say, I just take some quiet moments and ask for Shannon’s help.  Lucky for my audiences (and my self-esteem), she always delivers.  Hope you enjoy the video.  P.S…Don’t be alarmed if it sounds like nobody is laughing at my jokes.  I wasn’t dyin’ up there.  The audience wasn’t mic’d, but I swear they thought I was just a little funny.  Next time I’ll add laugh tracks.  Click here to watch the video.