TEDx is making a mark on the world by executing passionate presentations on Technology, Design, and Culture. TEDx continues to expand into a wide range of other fascinating academic topics. On November 26th, 2016 TEDx will be coming to the University of Waterloo, more specifically, the Theatre of the Arts.
This exciting experience would not be possible without all the executives who work so hard to make it possible. Gillian Shi is the Participant Experience Director for TEDxUW. The marketing for the event is run by Allison Marchese, and Sarah Ippolito takes care of Finance. HerCampus Waterloo had the pleasure of interviewing the aforementioned executives, to learn about their roles, and what students can expect from this years event:
HC: How did you get involved with this year’s TEDxUW event?
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Allison: I am a fourth-year Global Business and Digital Arts student. Last year’s marketing director was in my program a year above me and posted about applications for the exec team being open. I thought it was an awesome opportunity!
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Sarah: I am currently a fourth-year Science and Business student and this year’s TEDxUW Finance Director. There has always been a strong SciBus student presence within the TEDxUW community and I’ve been a fan of TED Talks for quite a while, so it was a natural fit to apply to become part of the global community!
HC: What are you most looking forward to for the event?
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Allison: Probably listening to Richard’s talk. He’s a UW student that you probably know from the Landmine Boys video that circulated a couple months ago. I was really inspired by him and I’m excited to see how he can inspire all of this year’s participants.
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Sarah: I am excited to see how our participants and the university react to some of the topics that our speakers will be giving their talks about. It’s always the unusual, provocative, or out-of-the-norm talks that really get people to start thinking beyond this conference and create ideas that are worth spreading.
HC: What has been your favourite part about working on the TEDxUW event?
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Allison: I think it’s just been awesome watching my team work together. I’m so lucky to have some incredibly talented and dedicated people on the marketing team. Seeing the way they work is unreal.
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Sarah: I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the inner workings of TED and how it takes so many people to produce the simple, 6-18 minute videos we see online. It’s also been a lot of fun connecting with other TEDx-ers across the globe as we bounce ideas off of each other and create a larger TEDx community globally.
HC: Do you have a favourite, previously done TED Talk, or is there a particular speaker at this event you are looking forward to? If so – which one?
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Allison: One of my favourites is “Plus Size? More like my size…” by Ashley Graham. She’s a plus size model who absolutely KILLS both the fashion and self-love game, and I think her talk is really inspiring.
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Sarah: Shawn Achor’s talk on positive psychology and the Happiness Effect is one of the top 10 TEDx talks of all time, and for good reason. His book is an excellent read and such a refreshing take on how we look at our own happiness and goal setting: https://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work?language=en. Another funny and short one that simply makes me laugh is about someone responding to spam emails: https://www.ted.com/talks/james_veitch_this_is_what_happens_when_you_reply_to_spam_email?language=en
HC: How has working on TEDxUW helped to change you or shape your university experience?
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Allison: I’ve been able to meet so many amazing people (our directors, managers, and the ambassadors we’ve begun to work with) and see how passionate and intelligent all of these people are!
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Sarah: TEDx has been a big factor in making connections across the university and beyond. I wouldn’t have the network and friends that I have now compared to even 6 months ago, when we started this process.
HC: Would you encourage others to get involved with TEDxUW? Why?
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Allison: 100% yes. While it can be overwhelming and stressful, it’s amazing to see how many people want to be a part of TEDx. It’s also helped me be a better leader and work through issues with a team.
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Sarah: If you like to learn, if you are a curious soul, and if you want to be part of a global community, then TEDxUW is definitely for you!
For executives, students, and everyone involved – TEDxUW 2016 is sure to be a memorable event. More information on this year’s TEDxUW event is available at: http://tedxuw.com/