On Sept. 13, Southern Utah University’s TEDx committee is hosting its annual conference, titled “Imagine,” with five new speakers presenting their ideas.
TEDx conferences are independently organized events, usually held by colleges and universities, to allow speakers to share their experiences on a platform they rarely have the opportunity to use. The presentations are similar to those given at official TED conferences: bias-free and including a diverse range of topics.
In previous years, topics have included “The empowering future of education,” “Anatomy of an Apology,” and “Zombies: An Idea Worth Spreading About How Ideas Spread.”
This year, the speaker list includes Brynne Byars, Destiny Adams-Watt, John Buckner, Mahala Sutherland and Maris Graudins.
Brynne Byars is an SUU sophomore and an administrative assistant for the SUU Upward Bound program, which specializes in helping pre-college students from low-income families move toward their goal of attaining higher education.
Destiny Adams-Watt is a junior dance student at SUU who has appeared in works such as “Essentia” and “Experiencing” during the “Neither Here Nor There, But Here” dance concert program earlier this year.
John Buckner is a current clinical director at RedCliff Ascent Wilderness Therapy. He graduated from SUU with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2007.
Mahala Sutherland is currently a senior at SUU and a Beacon for the SUU Center for Diversity and Inclusion. Sutherland was also the first-ever Native American student to win the title of SUU Homecoming Royalty, having won the title last year.
Maris Graudins is a senior at SUU who is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in management.
Each of the five speakers will give their own individual presentations at the event, with some presenting remotely.
The event takes place on Tuesday, Sept. 13, from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Hunter Conference Center. The cost of attendance is $5 for students and $10 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased from the TEDxSUU website. For more information regarding the event, contact tedx@suu.edu.
Story and Photo by: Luke McKenzie
news@suunews.net
