Return to Speaking Events
October 5, 2002
Few speakers are both informative and entertaining, and fewer still
electrified Mary Washington College audiences the way Peter Jenkins did in
early September 2002. "He's the best speaker the College has ever had" was
a frequent comment heard from people leaving the auditorium after he spoke
at the "Fredericksburg Forum." This community-supported program,
underwritten by season ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, brings
nationally known speakers to the community and the college campus. Past
speakers include David McCullough, James Carville, Lesley Stahl, Mark
Russell, Helen Thomas, John Kenneth Galbraith, Dave Berry, George Will,
Shelby Foote, Elie Wiesel, Robert ("Titanic") Ballard, John Sununu, James
Whitmore, and Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Peter not only spoke at the Forum one evening, chatting with people until
after ten p.m., but that afternoon he was a guest at a book signing and
reception in the campus Library. The next day he was the speaker at "The
President's Book Club," which consists of friends who are invited to join
based on their regular involvement and interaction with the College and
their generous financial support.
Numerous individuals pointed out that Peter galvanized the entire college
community with his vitality and sheer presence. This was especially obvious
during his major talk as part of the Fredericksburg Forum. The theater was
packed with more than a thousand students, faculty and staff members,
townspeople, and even children. He came onto the stage, caught everyone's
attention with his introduction, and then related some of his travel
adventures. But this was no rehash of tired anecdotes! What others and I
particularly liked was how his journeys seemed almost timeless; that is, he
could have come back from walking across America last week, not some two
decades ago. He compared, for example, his experiences and some of the fear
he felt while walking across America to present-day uncertainties. After
giving his audience much to think about, he neatly segued into his recently
completed travels in Alaska, where he continued to compare and contrast
cultures and peoples. He did all this, by the way, with no prepared text or
notes.
What with two major talks, a reception, and constant book signings, it was
clear that we had a full schedule for Peter, and there was not much free
time between his arrival one morning and when he left the following
afternoon. As a longtime admirer and collector of his books, I helped
arrange his visit (as I have other speakers), and several times I worriedly
commented on all the things we wanted him to do. But he was relaxed about
the tight schedule, was pleasant to be with, and obviously just enjoyed
being here and talking with people about his books and travels.
If I could sum up Peter Jenkins's performances and visit, it is that he
clearly appealed to everyone. I recall seeing an elderly woman, one of the
College's major supporters, in the front row at the Forum applauding and
laughing so hard she almost fell out of her chair. Later, while Peter was
signing books and talking with attendees, I overheard one teenager telling
his mother, "You've dragged me to all these talks and this was the first one
I really liked."
Many speakers attract people because they are inspiring. Other speechmakers
can be dynamic, while some are purely entertaining. But with Peter Jenkins,
audiences will most certainly get all three at the same time.
Jack Bales
Reference and Humanities Librarian
Mary Washington College Library
1801 College Avenue
Fredericksburg, VA 22401-4664
From:
Veronica Swift
Manager. Meetings & Travel
AmerUs Life Insurance Company
611 5th Avenue
Des Moines, IOWA 50309
Dear Peter:
Thank you so much for playing such an integral part in the success of our Chairman's Council program this past May cruising to Alaska aboard the Norwegian Sky. Our attendees were extremely impressed with both your `WALK ACROSS AMERICA' and `LOOKING FOR ALASKA' presentations. Your use of photographs to enhance your stories was very effective. The fact that they were your own photos made the experience more unique.You have the ability to make the audience feel as though they were `part of the action' with your excellent story telling and by your willingness to answer questions regarding your travels and writing. Rarely do people have the opportunity to discuss something they have read with the author. Although many attendees were not as familiar with LOOKING FOR ALASKA, (since it had just come out a few months before), their interest in you was inspired by their familiarity with A WALK ACROSS AMEIRCA. I was delighted to hear the many stories that people shared about how your book had influenced their lives. From a meeting planners perspective, you were a pleasure to work with. Often speakers express an interest in the attendees but never take the time to really find out who they are. You not only spent ample time at the outset of our communications finding out as much as you could about our group, but you spent time with individuals during the program. I know how special that made them feel.I truly appreciate your commitment to our group and the success of the conference. Thank you for making our cruise such a memorable one-and I hope to work with you in the future.
Warm regards,
Veronica Swift
Manager, Meetings & Travel
