“You are a Hodgman girl!”
The exclamation accompanied a warm hug from a perfect stranger. I was in Rochester, N.Y., talking to someone from Kalamazoo, Mich., about tennis on Hilton Head, S.C. We had both been trained by Dr. Bert Hodgman who would shape our respective lives forever.
Recognizing that we were “Hodgman girls,” we were instant friends. My mentor, 83-year-old Dr. Hodgman, didn’t just meet girls daily on court at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. to feed them tennis balls. He came to feed minds.
He was always early and was always reading. The book was never in English. Dr. Hodgman read in Spanish, German and French.
Every few months, Dr. Hodgman would take us girls out to dinner. Dressed in a suit and bow tie, Dr. Hodgman insisted he (with the blessing of our parents) would pick each of us up at home, hold the doors open, and treat us to a dinner at a fine restaurant.
The food was elegant, but the conversation was electric. “What do you think of abortion?” “How can we improve our welfare program?” “Do you believe in capital punishment?” were the cornerstones of our conversation.
We may have been only 14, but our dinner conversations with Dr. Hodgman helped each of us learn to think critically, form opinions of our own and more important, how to articulate and support our opinions.
Today, I am thrilled to share that an even bigger and better brain banquet is coming to our region Oct. 23-26: ImagiNATION 2013. Think of it as Chautauqua, Aspen, Harvard or TED without having to fly.
It excites me that so many internationally renowned leaders are choosing to travel here, share their experiences and give us the chance to connect, contribute and collaborate.
The event kicks off with Chautauqua Institution’s President Thomas Becker sharing his passion for lifelong learning and the tradition of exploration and exchange of ideas in an atmosphere that encourages civil discourse.
I am personally excited to hear Paul Young, No. 1 for 49 weeks on New York Times Bestseller list, speak on the potency of love and forgiveness as he inspires the transition from success to significance.
Richard Resnick, a fearless explorer about the massive possibilities that can be born from the simplest of ideas, will, with laughter and intellect, wake us up to the genomic revolution all around us.
Randi Zuckerberg, as Facebook’s fifth employee and Mark’s sister, brings her valuable and unique perspective on technology and social media’s impact on social identity, authenticity and the future of social change.
SCAD’s own Scott Boylston introduces designs for sustainability while exploring ways to make companies green and make green companies.
Other incredible speakers will address music for social change, iterative innovation in entrepreneurship, inspiring stories, engaging play and more.
If you seek entertainment only in the form of three drink tickets and a lobster tail, this is not the event for you. However, if the future of industry, health care and education pique your interests with the promise of pushing the envelope on these critical topics, please come and participate.
Join hundreds of engaging, thought provoking innovators eager to impact their communities in a powerful manner. Don’t miss it.
This thought-provoking event will take place at historic Honey Horn Plantation on Hilton Head Island. Tickets can be purchased for individual days or for the entire four-day event.
For Savannahians, ImaginNATION will make a great excursion for the day. Go to www.imaginationhhi.com for details.
I wish I could introduce you to my mentor, Dr. Hodgman, but I can’t. I can, however, encourage you to find your own mentor or, better yet, mentor someone in their own intellectual pursuits. Perhaps attending ImagiNATION 2013 is the first step.
Bea Wray is the executive director of The Creative Coast, a not-for-profit organization that promotes the creative and entrepreneurial community within the region. Wray can be reached at 912-447-8457 or bea@thecreativecoast.org.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Bea Wray, executive director of The Creative Coast, will be one of the speakers during ImaginNATION.