Email Speaker Invitation

Subject line: Speaker Invitation - Public Affairs Conference at Missouri State

Greetings _____________, 

I am very pleased to invite you to serve as a panel speaker at Missouri State University’s 19th annual Public Affairs Conference on September 20-22, 2022.  Due to continued COVID uncertainties, the panel portion of our conference will be held in a live virtual format via Zoom Webinar with moderated Q&A. This year’s conference theme is From Words to Deeds: Creating Collaborative Communities.  You are specifically being invited to serve on 2-3 individual panels over Wednesday and Thursday of the conference. 

This unique conference brings together professionals from diverse fields to dialogue and explore issues related to the theme, and its impact on government, the arts, education, science, business, economics, medicine and more. As a panelist, you will share your professional and personal vantage points and opinions on selected topics to an audience of domestic and international students, campus and community members. 

A unique conference:

This is not your typical professional conference. We are asking you to commit as a panelist prior to knowing exactly which topic sessions you will participating in. Only after our entire cadre of speakers are confirmed, are you then assigned to your two or three panels. Of the panels, one to two will certainly fit into your field of expertise while the third panel might be outside of your professional field.  It is within this panel that we value your thoughts and opinions as an informed citizen within the topic area.  This unusual method ensures that our audience members are exposed to a rich texture of viewpoints from differing professional areas. 

Each panel session is 50 minutes in length with 4 panel speakers.  Each speaker will be allotted between 5-7 minutes to speak on the topic from their perspectives.  The session is then opened for a moderated Q&A by one of our conference committee members. Last year’s 18 virtual panel sessions experienced attendance of nearly 5,200 log-ins. Please view more about panel design, the theme and prior speaker testimonials at https://publicaffairs.missouristate.edu/speaker-information.htm 

You have been chosen to be one of nearly 30 panel speakers from across the country covering 18-20 different panel topics. Since our conference is free and open to the public, unfortunately we are unable to provide a speaker honoraria. However, at Missouri State University we practice extreme hospitality even virtually.  Our conference coordinators will ensure a smooth, informed speaker experience in every aspect, including a very nice appreciation gift. 

Please rsvp to accept or decline this invitation by Monday, April 18, 2022.  If you are able to join us, you will be informed of your panel topics and day/time schedule by mid-May. 

On behalf of myself and the conference advisory committee, thank you for your consideration and we look forward to having you share your expertise with our students, campus and community! 

Best regards, 

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