Our Why
We Talk aims to foster a culture of responsible and respectful civic, social, political, and policy engagement. Our goal is to raise awareness about free speech protections and promote the value of open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and constructive disagreement within the academic setting and learning environment, so that all may learn.
International Education: Balancing Collaboration and Innovation with National Security
This two-panel event brings together national and campus thought leaders to discuss the value and potential national security risks of hosting international students on American campuses. It will explore these topics, showcase the contributions international students make to WMU and beyond, and examine the changing landscape of global education. Open to both the campus and the community!
- Date: Thursday, February 19
- Time: 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Venue: Western Michigan University, Student Center, Ballroom B
Register: TBA
PANEL I—Benefits and challenges of providing international education today
3 to 4:30 p.m.
- Dr. Reetha Raveendran—WMU Dean of Students, host and moderator
- Dr. Rosemary Max, Assoc. Vice President, WMU Haenicke Institute for Global Education, overview of the issues, impacts at WMU
- International Student testimonial—tbd, a WMU graduate or post-graduate international student in a STEM field.
- Dr. Theresa Cardinal Brown, former Senior Advisor for Immigration and Border Policy and author of the report, Bipartisan Efforts to Keep Talented International Students in the U.S. After Graduation report. Overview of report on retaining international STEM graduates
- Mr. Andy Richards, EVP and COO, Duncan Aviation, Battle Creek
PANEL II—Joint Institutes/Divided Loyalties—National Security Risks and Policy Overview
5 to 6:30 p.m. (TBD)
- Jeff Breneman, WMU VP for Government Relations, to interview John Sava, senior investigator for the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, about the Joint Institutes/Divided Loyalties committee report released in September 2025. The report reveals how U.S. universities are continuing to aid China's military ambitions through joint institutes and academic partnerships. Sava leads investigations and legislative initiatives focused on foreign influence, research security, technology transfer, and intellectual property theft. He is widely recognized within the U.S. intelligence and law enforcement communities as a subject-matter expert on the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) technology transfer apparatus and defense research and industrial base. The Select Committee was chaired by Congressman John Moolenaar (R-MI).
Tiffany Moore, DC lobbyist, WMU esteemed alumna
Screening of mini documentary about her work as a lobbyist in highly polarized times.
- Date: Pending
- Time: TBD
- Venue: TBD
Register: TBA
The Anxious Generation
Join us for a virtual conversation and Q & A with NYT bestselling author, Jonathan Haidt, about his recent book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.
Event Details
- Wed. March 12, 2025
- 4:15 to 6 p.m.
- Room 1920 Sangren Hall
- Learn more
John Tomasi Lecture Event: "A University that the World has Never Seen."
Join us for a talk and conversation on heterodox values and building trust in higher education!
John Tomasi - Heterodox Academy President
Event Details:
- Date: February 6, 2025
- Time: 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
- Venue: Sangren Hall RM 1910, WMU Main Campus
Register:
Celebrating 6 Years Of Promoting Civil Discourse and Ideological Diversity
