“We must apply our values to push forward and rebuild trust,” said Nielsen, the chair of the Page Center advisory board. “Ursula Burns, Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Kelly McGinnis are iconic individuals who are richly deserving of public trust. Let’s apply their high standards so we too can deserve and restore trust at this critical moment in history.”
Burns joined Page Center board member and executive-in-residence at the College of Charleston Tom Martin to open the Q&A portion of the event with a discussion about identity and authenticity. Burns talked about the power of compromise and how her mother was the foundation to her success. Giving advice to those starting their careers, Burns said the secret is to speak up.
She added that even though she expects everyone to be open and ready to share their authentic selves, many don't and, in some ways, that makes it a superpower.
“I am informed. I am studying and listening,” Burns said. “And then I am not at all shy when someone wants to hear my opinion … or [when] they don’t want to hear it.”
After Burns’ Q&A, Ellyn Fisher, center board member, senior vice president of marketing and communications of the Ad Council and Penn State alumna, interviewed McGinnis. Their discussion focused on advocacy and activism in corporate communication, and how those choices are made. McGinnis said creating an open and welcoming work atmosphere helps every level of employee thrive.
“We know we’ll have a better business if we have a diverse business,” she said. “So, that makes us create a space where people can bring their authentic selves to work.”
She added that advocacy is about responsibly making a positive impact on society. McGinnis suggested that students find shared purpose with their line of work and the companies they work for and support.
Lastly, Nielsen interviewed Gupta, who opened the segment with five principles he said he hopes will help young communicators share facts and combat misinformation: Be humble. Learn how to communicate the message. Read everything. Appreciate that some things are truly novel. Lean into uncertainty.
“Humans are not good at experiencing things that are novel,” Gupta said. “It’s important to be as informed as can be [and] try to put things in context.”
Gupta also shared thoughts on adapting to the challenges of artificial intelligence and prioritizing mental health — particularly for college-aged students.
"Take care of yourself," he said. "Mental health is just as important as physical health."
The Page Center Awards video, including the three honoree interviews, is available online. Now in its eighth year, this year’s program was the fourth time the Page Center Awards event was streamed online. The namesake of the award, the late Larry Foster, was a distinguished Penn State alumnus and founder of the Page Center. The annual program was created to honor communicators who share in Foster’s vision. Learn more about the center and its initiatives on its website.