Sea Island Life Magazine Fall/Winter 2014 | Page 64

and ’80s with exclusivity being their appeal.
If you want to learn something new, you
might as well learn from the best, from the
masters, from the most important thought
and opinion leaders.”
Today, the number and topics presented at
idea conferences continues to grow. “Agendas
differ, but they all seem to be embedded
in this notion that great ideas shared, discussed and scrutinized can help individuals
and businesses across all categories achieve
success,” Campbell says. “And the energy is
great whenever that happens.”
The world-renowned Oxford Experience
is a residential summer program at the
University of Oxford that offers students of
all ages weeklong lectures on subjects like
the human brain and opera composition.
hungry for knowledge. “Many of our participants are returnees,” says David Beard, the

academic director and program director for
the Oxford Experience summer school. “It
is a truly international program, with people
coming from all over the world. Many people
have formed friendships on the Oxford
Experience and some people meet up each
year again at Oxford.”
Part of the value of idea conferences is the

The Creativity Conference attracts a slate
of A-list speakers, a huge part of the draw for
audiences, but that’s where the similarities
to most other idea conferences end. Rather
than a large event that takes place on a stage
in front of a crowd of spectators, Sea Island’s
Creativity Conference is a unique weekend
focused on intimacy between the group to

speaking and communication is open, the
events will be successful and informative.
Since the Oxford Experience is a residential
program, the conversation doesn’t end when
the attendees leave the lecture halls.

with speakers after the talks conclude during an intimate dinner—a unique opportunity to continue the dialogue.
“Rather than a theme, Mark and I focused
on getting a diverse, personally compatible
group together to build and brainstorm,”
Wells explains. “Talks ranged from magic
and perception [to] self-recognition in dolphins and the discovery of the evidence of
the Big Bang.”
Wells adds that what makes idea conferences great is that they are about the

Rubbing Elbows
Part of what makes the ideas at these gatherings of minds so memorable is the way
in which they are presented. “The ideal
speaker is a storyteller and, at the core, life
is about telling great stories,” Wells explains.

BILL GATES PHOTO BY KATE WEBB; OXFORD EXPERIENCE PHOTO BY CHRISTI CHURCH;
MARK MOFFETT PHOTO BY DAVID KENNERLY; STARTUP WEEKEND PHOTO BY BECKY ROTHER

Clockwise from top left: Bill Gates discussing funding for education at TED 2011; participants exploring various topics with professors and experts at the
Oxford Experience; Sea Island’s Creativity Conference co-host Mark W. Moffett; Startup Weekend attendees sharing thoughts on new businesses

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