Montana State to host Dyslexia and Innovation Symposium on Oct. 22

BOZEMAN - Montana State University will host its annual Dyslexia and Innovation Symposium of Changemakers on Oct. 22 to spotlight the unique strengths of the dyslexic mind during National Dyslexia Month.

The hybrid event is free and open to the public. It will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. in Inspiration Hall within Norm Asbjornson Hall on the MSU campus and will also be livestreamed. Tickets, though free, are required for the in-person event and can be reserved online. 

The event's speakers will include:

• Theresa Fitzgerald, a New York-based creative director, designer and educator who has led the creative vision for media and education brands such as "Sesame Street," Nickelodeon, "SpongeBob SquarePants" and Peanuts Worldwide. She currently serves as an adjunct professor at the Parsons School of Design.
• Jake Sussman, founder of the online platform Superpower Mentors, which supports youth and young adults with dyslexia, ADHD and other learning differences. Sussman's platform has facilitated more than 20,000 mentoring sessions on confidence, self-advocacy and long-term independence.
• Gil Gershoni, an award-winning dyslexic creative and founder of Gershoni Creative in San Francisco and Dallas. Gershoni has worked with global clients such as Google, Apple, Spotify, Deloitte and Nike. He also hosts the podcast "Dyslexia Design Thinking," which profiles acclaimed actors, world-champion athletes and rocket scientists.

Gershoni will also moderate an MSU student panel. Students Layla Hartley, Murray Stebbins and Jillian Stevens will share their personal journeys through the education system as learners with dyslexia.

The organizers of the event are Jeffrey Conger, a professor of graphic design in MSU's School of Art and a dyslexic influencer, and Sarah Pennington, an associate professor in MSU's Department of Education specializing in middle school education, literacy and teacher education.

The symposium is supported by Karen and Bill Brace and the Holland family, Crazy Mountain Ranch, the MSU Office of the President and MSU's Office of Disability Services, Decoding Dyslexia Montana, READMontana, The Dyslexic Advantage and NeuroLearning.com.