YORK, Pa. — An eye roll, a head nod, a handshake, or a sigh; what messages do these actions send? Discover the power of body language when Jan Hargrave, one of the nation’s leading behavioral authorities, shares her expertise during two programs Feb. 4 in York. Hargrave's presentation, titled "Actions Speak Louder than Words, Understanding Nonverbal Communication – The Importance of Nonverbal Communication," is sponsored by the Graham Fellows Program for Entrepreneurial Leadership (Graham Fellows Program) and the Women’s Philanthropic Network (WPN) at Penn State York.

“I am excited we are able to team up with the Women’s Philanthropic Network to sponsor this event,” said Allan Lehman, director of the Graham Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies at Penn State York. “Together, we are bringing in a speaker who will have an impact on all of those who attend, regardless of where they are in their professional career.”

At 7:30 a.m. more than 140 business professionals will take part in a breakfast leadership training with Hargrave at Heritage Hills Golf Resort. The training, from 8-9:30 a.m., provides attendees with information that can be used to learn skills needed to develop themselves and read others around them.

The noon-hour event back at Penn State York gives students in the Graham Fellows Program, and invited guests, a chance to hear from Hargrave and have an opportunity to interact with her. In addition, some students from the Graham Innovation Scholars Program at York College of Pennsylvania were invited to take part in the program.  

“This is a unique experience for our students,” said Lehman. “Students in the Graham Fellows Program will hear from expert Jan Hargrave, who will help them learn how to read body language and provide them with insights as they prepare to enter their professional careers.”

At both presentations, Hargrave will discuss how body language can help individuals read their customers, family, students, associates and everyone they meet. She will discuss the secret language of success, how to tell if someone is lying, how to appear confident when nervous, the hidden power of a handshake, gender communication differences between men and women, acceptable and unacceptable body language, cultural body language and sensitivities, and how to turn a job interview into a job by recognizing positive body language signals.

Hargrave has worked with thousands in the field of personal growth and self-expression through seminars and workshops during the past 10 years. She continues to inspire many of today’s leading corporations, including Lockheed Martin, Merrill Lynch, Starbucks, Rockwell, ESPN, Exxon, Chase Manhattan Bank, NASA, Bank of America, and El Paso Energy. Her expertise concerning nonverbal communication in the courtroom and witness preparation, plus her membership in the American College of Forensic Examiners, proves to be the topic of interest in her presentations to the Honolulu Police Department, the Louisiana attorney general’s office, and various legal bench and bar associations across the country.

She earned bachelor’s, master’s and specialist degrees in business/psychology from the University Louisiana at Lafayette. She is the CEO of Jan Hargrave & Associates, a Houston-based consulting firm, and served as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston for eight years. She is the author of numerous books and has appeared on The Lifetime Channel, Fox News, Entertainment Television, and numerous talk shows.

The Graham Fellows Program is designed to develop and enhance students’ workplace leadership skills. The program works with students from a variety of academic disciplines to provide them with a set of practical tools that complement the quality education they are receiving at Penn State York. Students participate in a variety of activities, including mock interviews, résumé reviews, business etiquette, networking events, leadership skills training, and extensive opportunities for internships. They are exposed to local and national leaders from a wide array of professions through The Graham Speaker Series and are encouraged to demonstrate their networking skills during the Corporate Partners Dinner and networking events. Students also complete Graham Fellows Program curriculum requirements designed to familiarize them with concepts ranging from ethics to entrepreneurship. To learn more about the program, visit the Graham website.

The Women’s Philanthropic Network brings women together, both face to face and with technology, to unite their financial power in a collective voice — to create, nurture and transform Penn State York through philanthropy and encourage the development of women as philanthropic leaders. This organization is the first of its kind at the University. To join or learn more, visit the WPN website.