On Friday, Feb. 21, TEDxNCState made its return to campus after a six-year hiatus. Hosted at Thompson Hall, TEDxNCState is an independent event organized by NC State alumni, with the goal of voicing a diverse array of ideas and perspectives.
Natalie Kraft, a second-year studying computer science and political science, and Trenton Wallis, a second-year studying electrical engineering, said they initiated the revival of TEDxNCState with the help of Francis de los Reyes III, a professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering.
“TEDxNCState was an initiative that started here from 2010 until 2014, but then the initiative fell through the cracks and was absent a little bit from NC State’s campus,” Kraft said. “Last year we wanted to do a revival series, so we received a license from TED, and we were able to start a club with the sole purpose of spreading these local ideas to a local platform, which is, of course, the primary mission of TED. From there we were able to curate those ideas on campus and work our way up.”
The TEDxNCState event opened its returning debut with a full house. Guests checked in at the entrance of the theater, where they received badges that held their names alongside their careers and general interests. Guests also received a reusable TEDxNCState tote that held various items, such as the event program, a notepad and a TEDxNCState t-shirt.
TEDxNCState’s first act consisted of six guest performances, ranging from the traditional TEDx talk to silk rope dance performances hosted by the Cirque de Vol. Following act one was an intermission, where guests could socialize and meet the event’s guest speakers, performers and staff. Guests could also interact with panels by various means, including a sticky note wall that thanked the staff members, a Mad-lib submission box that was later used in an intermission panel, and a loom board where guests tied various themes of the event together.
Zoe Staskiewicz, a first-year studying fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology, said TEDxNCState is important because it exposes people to a variety of perspectives.
“It really opens up your whole perspective on things,” Staskiewicz said. “You get to hear from so many people and learn about so many ideas that it’s really inspiring.”
Act two consisted of a variety of performances, followed by a standing ovation for the staff, and ended with an audience selfie with the speakers and staff members, which was later sent out to attendees through email. Act two was the final part of the event, but guests were allowed to stay for a while longer to socialize in a similar fashion to the intermission.
Chase Verm, a first-year studying mechanical engineering who volunteered at the event, said TEDx talks are important because they allow people to share ideas.
“I heard about the event through a friend who’s on the volunteer committee, so I came to run the event and got to see some of the talks,” Verm said. “I think these TEDx talks are important because they share valuable ideas that may or may not be communicated without this forum, and it’s also a great way for people to network, talk and learn in a place they might not otherwise have access to.”
According to Kraft and Wallis, figuring out how to host a TEDx event was a collaborative effort. Fundraising was primarily done through outreach and networking by the marketing team, while the social committee planned outreach events and logistics. De los Reyes was also crucial to the revival of TEDxNCState, as he provided his past experience as TEDxNCState adviser helped estimate the budget in planning.
This year’s speaker curation began last year during the fall semester, with the application opening up for anyone who wanted to present an idea. The team also asked for dean recommendations, who underwent the same application in the fall. Alongside in-person interviews, all speakers trained with three speech coaches provided by the TEDxNCState team. Kraft and Wallis are hopeful for a repeat of this success next year.
“We’re looking to make sure the ideas that are selected are universally applicable to the audience,” Kraft said. “It’s about finding what ideas our community has, and by community I mean both NC State’s and the Raleigh community. It’s a goal of us to make it a networking event for both, and figuring out how we can present those in a way where the audience will be the most receptive, both eloquently and in a way that will be meaningful and interpretative.”
The application for the 2021 TEDxNCState event will open up during the fall 2020 semester. More information about the event can be found on the TEDxNCState website.
