Speakers Bureau celebrates 30 years

The ethics of police conduct, teen lit and politics, the risks of drinking—these are just some of the 99 new topics, out of a total of 338 topics, that the UVic Speakers Bureau program is offering this year. Since its inception in 1980, tens of thousands of Victorians have benefited from the free lectures provided by this service.The bureau is made up of 122 volunteer speakers from among the faculty, staff and graduate students who teach, conduct research, and study on campus.

Every year, bureau members go off campus to speak to a wide range of community groups, schools, clubs and other organizations throughout southern Vancouver Island.

Dr. Marjorie Mayfield, professor emerita of early education and literacy, has been a bureau volunteer since day one. Mayfield talks to parent groups about education and literacy and speaks to women about travelling. "I've always been a traveller," says Mayfield. "I went to university in Scotland at 19 and I've been travelling ever since. In fact, I've lived in the Middle East and in Europe and I'm in the process of booking a trip to Italy."

Her top travel tip for women? "Go! Usually I speak to groups of older women and a lot of them are no longer travelling with husbands but they don't want to travel alone. So my big push to them is just go!"

Other long-time bureau volunteers include Drs. Werner Liedtke, Gerry Ferguson, Eike Kluge, Robert Gifford, Ian MacPherson, Patricia Roy, David Ballantyne and Robert Willihnganz. More info: www.uvic.ca/speakers