top of page

The Good Life Series: The Fine Art of Small Talk

Fri, Feb 07

|

Stumberg Hall

All undergraduates are invited to a dinner at the Austin Institute, where we'll practice some go-to small talk strategies and have a blast while doing it. Join us Friday, February 7th at 7:00 PM for dinner and lots of conversation.

Registration is Closed
See other events
The Good Life Series: The Fine Art of Small Talk
The Good Life Series: The Fine Art of Small Talk

Time & Location

Feb 07, 2020, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Stumberg Hall, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA

About The Event

Most people will tell you that they hate small talk. Yet there are plenty of times when no other type of talk will do. Whether you're out for a job interview dinner, on a first date, or at a party where you don't know anybody, the first mode of communication we use when we're first getting to know people is small talk. With practice, it can even be enjoyable.

Join us for a fun and festive evening Friday, February 7th as we practice some go-to strategies for starting conversations with strangers and engaging people in dialogue, whatever situation you find yourself in. Over a delicious dinner prepared by Dr. Kevin Stuart, we'll talk small and laugh large. RSVP today!

Share This Event

SPRING 2026 EVENTS

  • The Student Forum "Religion, Science & the State"
    The Student Forum "Religion, Science & the State"
    Multiple Dates
    Wed, Feb 18
    Feb 18, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
    Austin Institute, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA
    For Alexis de Tocqueville, the study of politics always involved the study of “mores,” the moral and intellectual habits that define a people. In this seminar series, we will explore Tocqueville’s study of American and democratic mores as they manifest in the domains of religion and science.
    Share
  • The Good Life Reading Group
    The Good Life Reading Group
    Multiple Dates
    Mon, Feb 23
    Austin Institute
    Feb 23, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
    Austin Institute, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA
    Our next reading group will read two books in parallel: one by a man, addressing the “feminized” (?) society in which we live, by Anthony Esolen; and one by a woman, focusing on how the sexual revolution harmed women, by Louise Perry.
    Share
  • Stolen Children: A Compact Book Club
    Stolen Children: A Compact Book Club
    Multiple Dates
    Tue, Feb 24
    Feb 24, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
    Stumberg Hall, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA
    From Classic Horror Literature to Today’s Screens
    Share
  • The Road to Integrity: Men's Group
    The Road to Integrity: Men's Group
    Mar 02, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
    Austin, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA
    Chips, guac, beer, and a discussion led by Dr. Erik Dempsey about the state of desireless souls in contemporary American culture.
    Share
  • Concerning Modern Motherhood
    Concerning Modern Motherhood
    Wed, Mar 04
    Austin Institute
    Mar 04, 2026, 5:30 PM
    Austin Institute, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA
    Join us for an intimate gathering with a filmmaker as she shares a personal documentary and invites young women into a thoughtful conversation about feminism, identity, and motherhood.
    Share
  • Coffee With a Scholar
    Coffee With a Scholar
    Thu, Mar 05
    Austin Institute
    Mar 05, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:40 PM
    Austin Institute, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA
    Graduates and Undergraduates: Join us for a brief talk followed by questions and conversation with Dr. Danilo Petranovich, Director of the Abigail Adams Institute and formerly lecturer of political science at Duke and Yale.
    Share
  • Austin Institute Colloquia
    Austin Institute Colloquia
    Thu, Mar 05
    Austin Institute
    Mar 05, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
    Austin Institute, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA
    Join us for our March Colloquium with Dr. Bruce Wells, Associate Professor and Chair of the Middle Eastern Studies at UT Austin. He will share new perspectives and recent research on the Commandments' historical and theological background. You don't want to miss this!
    Share
  • The Student Forum "Flourishing Relationships"
    The Student Forum "Flourishing Relationships"
    Multiple Dates
    Wed, Mar 25
    Mar 25, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
    Austin Institute, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA
    Want better friendships and dating relationships? Dr. Ruiz’s seminar will show you how to become the kind of person people want to be with.
    Share
  • Austin Institute Colloquia "Dr. Alberto Martínez"
    Austin Institute Colloquia "Dr. Alberto Martínez"
    Apr 09, 2026, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
    Austin Institute, 3206 Fairfax Walk, Austin, TX 78705, USA
    Our last Colloquia will have no other than Dr. Martinez, a historian who unravels real-life historical mysteries, separating fact from fiction to reveal the truth behind the past. Make sure you don't miss out on this!
    Share
  • Conference: "Healing Romance, Resurrecting Marriage"
    Conference: "Healing Romance, Resurrecting Marriage"
    Sat, Apr 25
    Thompson Conference Center (TCC)
    Apr 25, 2026, 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM
    Thompson Conference Center (TCC), 2405 Robert Dedman Dr, Austin, TX 78712, USA
    Save the date for a one-day conference featuring expert invited speakers Drs. Matthew Breuninger, Serena Sigillito, Patrick Brown, and our very own Mark Regnerus.
    Share
  • A Year of the Papacy: What it means
    A Year of the Papacy: What it means
    Thu, Apr 30
    St. John Neumann Catholic Church
    Apr 30, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
    St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 5455 Bee Caves Rd, West Lake Hills, TX 78746, USA
    An evening of conversation with renowned Church historian Roberto Regoli on the first year of the papacy—and what it means for the Church today.
    Share
SCHEDULE
SPEAKERS
bottom of page