TEDxWWU 2015

This is the website for the 2013 event. For news on tickets, speakers, and announcements about the event happening on April 11th, 2015 event please visit tedxwwu.com

One Last Thing: Final Thoughts to You

Today is May 31. Obvious right? But what this really means is that tomorrow is a day that many of us in the Student Outreach Services office have been looking forward to for a year now, Western’s first ever TEDx event!

Why are we so excited? We truly believe that great things will come out tomorrow. We believe that the Talks you hear will not only entertain you, but they will challenge you. We want you to walk away from TEDxWWU tomorrow feeling like you have the ability to do great things with your education, and with your life in general. Why?

Because you do.

The other team members and myself believe this so strongly we picked out a theme for this event that is completely crafted around you. Renovations is an exploration of maintaining and strengthening values and foundations that you currently have while enhancing your potential to adapt, change and grow as an individual.

My hope with TEDxWWU is to provide you, as a student, with Talks that really emphasize the power and strength that comes with the foundations you already have, while challenging you towards the growth and movement I believe you are capable of.

The point of tomorrow’s event is to give you a day devoted completely to you, your growth and your education.  

So please come with minds prepared for great ideas, and hearts that are ready to be enlightened and inspired.

I can’t wait to see you there.

- Kayla Swallow

TEDxWWU Intern

The Crew: Kayla Swallow and Marli Williams

For the past year, an awesome mix of student and staff have been working hard to make TEDxWWU a reality here at Western. With all of the time and energy they have been putting in, we saw it fitting to shine the spot light on them, as well as give them a chance to share their love for TEDxWWU!

Kayla Swallow

Hello! My name is Kayla Swallow and I am finishing my second year here at Western Washington University! I love spending my time hanging out with friends at coffee houses, going on hikes in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and playing every sport under the sun. I am currently majoring in Human Services, with a double minor in Sociology and Event Planning, with the dream of managing a non-profit in the future. A few of my favorite things are bucket lists, road trips and spending my time near lakes.


I have a deep passion for education and the way that it can change the world for the better, which is why I am involved with TEDxWWU as the Social Media and Marketing intern. I love TEDx events because they are catalysts for more than just listening, they create momentum for change, growth and Renovation.

Marli Williams

Marli Williams works at Western Washington University as an Academic Support Coordinator in Student Outreach Services. In that role, she provides academic advising for students and works with peer mentors who offer support for incoming freshmen. When she is isn’t at work she is playing ultimate Frisbee, hiking with her dog Summit and having the time of her life. She strives to cultivate passion, purpose and potential in everything she does with everyone she meets.

 As the license holder for TEDxWWU, Marli believes that events such as these will inspire, motivate and encourage students here at Western. 

Be a part of TEDxWWU! (Live Stream Party Details)

TEDxWWU Live Stream Event

For those that have been asking, we are pleased to announce that there will be a live streaming party available for those who wish to be involved with TEDxWWU! While the live performance in the PAC  is sold out for this Saturday, June 1^st, you will still have the option to engage and interact with fellow TEDx fans in Miller Hall, Room 138. There, you will be able to watch both sessions of the event (1-2:30pm and 3-4:30pm). During the intermission, you will have the opportunity to have open dialogue and discussion with others over what you heard and what you got out of the talks. This is an amazing opportunity for the students and community members at Western and we hope to see you there! 

If you would rather watch the Talks from home, you can find the event live streaming at the following link! 

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wwu-live-events1

(This link will go live at 1 pm on Saturday, June 1st, 2013.)

The Crew: Our Wonderful TEDxWWU Team Members

In case you didn't know, there has been a group of amazing people working hard for the past year to make TEDxWWU a reality! A mix of students, faculty and staff have been giving time and energy to bring a TEDx event to Western's campus for the very first time. With that said, we saw it fitting to put the spot light on them and celebrate the great individuals who have been working so hard!

Katie Garner

"My name is Katie Garner, I am currently a sophomore at Western. I majoring in human services with a minor in Spanish. I am a peer mentor for the Student Outreach Services, a student advisor at the Center for Service Learning, and this summer I'll be an Academic Student Advisor for incoming freshmen! As you can see I love our campus, and have been lucky enough to be in the TEDxWWU planning committee overseeing the applications for attending the event. I am passionate about this years theme and the positive impact our event will have on this campus!"

Emily Mulnick

"I am Emily Mulnick, a senior studying Biological Anthropology and Spanish. I am an out of state student from McCall, Idaho, and enjoy doing most everything outdoors and with my friends and family. Through growing up in a small town and coming to Western, I have realized how important a strong sense of community is in order to enjoy both the big and the small things. We all need someone to share our excitement, our disappointment, our hardships, and our highs with. 

I also had the opportunity to live in Italy for a year in between high school and coming to WWU where I discovered my love for traveling, learning languages, and cooking and eating endless amounts of delicious food. It also made me realized how hard starting over in a new place can be. It is one thing to be strong and be able to build on a foundation, but it is another, to have people at your side and sharing the tools that you both have acquired over the years. 

I am coordinating the Registration, Refreshment, and Reception part of the event - helping to facilitate meaningful break out sessions, where participants can engage in the experience, network, continuously reflect, and be supported through the day. I hope to tie the sessions together, and provide a space where speakers and participants can connect, and the energy of TEDxWWU can foster connection and positivity. 

Renovations: Respecting the past, and being thankful for the foundation it offers. As this is what allows us the knowledge and skills to make the present and the future better places to be and be excited for."

As we post bios for our team members, we would like to thank them for all of the time and dedication that they have put in this past year towards making TEDxWWU a success. 

Our Speakers: Danielle Smith and Tay Siang Hui & Val Tan Xin Hui

With just under two weeks till the first ever TEDx event at Western Washington University, we are excited to announce our remaining speakers;

Tay Siang Hui & Val Tan Xin Hui and

Danielle Smith!

Tay Siang Hui & Val Tan Xin Hui

Award-winning film-makers and inspirational story-tellers from Singapore, Tay and Val, are living examples of dreamers who have cycled and traveled across the globe on project, “I Believe That Dreams Can Come True”. Having set off in March 2010, they aimed to cycle to as many countries as they can, walk into the lives of local people, and then document their personal stories about their dreams on videos. With the intention of “One Dream Shared, One Dream Inspired”, their stories have inspired many to seek out their dreams and achieve them. For the last 3 years, they have created a chain of dreams inspiring dreams across 12 countries. They have conducted numerous sharing events in schools and to the public empowering people to do the things they truly want to do and be the person they want to be. They have collected at least 2600 dreams and inspired countless lives.

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Danielle Smith 

Danielle Smith believes in changing the world one person at a time, starting with self. She earned her B.A. in Women’s Studies from UCLA in 2005, with an emphasis in social inequality and literature. After working in the fields of publishing and student affairs for a number of years, Danielle pursued her first passion—writing, an endeavor that culminated with an M.A. in English - Creative Writing from Western Washington University in 2012. A native of Southern California, Danielle currently writes and seeks community in Bellingham, WA. She uses poetry as her preferred form of self-discovery, activism, and resistance.

The Power of Education, Stories and the Film Girl Rising

Last night I went with a wonderful group of college age women to the local movie theater to see a film that I have been following and eagerly looking forward to for months now. As we took our seats, I looked around to notice that the large theater was packed full of women. Women from all different backgrounds, who ranged in ages from mid 70s to as young as 6. This group was giving off an energy packed to the brim with excitement and curiosity.  

What film was this that could bring such a diverse audience together on a Tuesday night?

Girl Rising.

A documentary filmed by Academy Award nominee Richard Robbins, Girl Rising shares the stories of 9 girls from 9 different countries and documents the impact education has had on their lives and the lives of those around them. This film showcases the raw emotions and grace of humanity through the struggles and battles each of the 9 girls have faced in fighting for their right to receive an education. More than this, the film give startling statistics concerning the state of education for girls in developing countries.

I have a secret for you all. Are you ready for it? I have a dream that someday, something I do will change the world.

I know what you must be thinking right about now, about how changing the world seems like an awfully big task. But honestly, simplicity has never been my style. I'm a go-getter and dreamer.

One thing that I have always been passionate about is education. In a way, you could call it my "Idea Worth Spreading". I firmly believe that education has the power to change with world for the better. Only education has the ability to leave a lasting impact on people that spreads through communities like wildfire. In many ways, learning goes beyond books.  Education is a platform that has the capacity to instill a sense of community, culture and compassion.

Stories equally have that power.

What makes Girl Rising powerful are the stories. Stories have the unique ability to connect people through sharing intimate details.By knowing a story, I believe you are changed forever. Hearing and sharing stories intertwine us all as humans. Once we hear a story, that story becomes apart of our own.

Leaving this film, I felt changed. With the heartbreak, determination and small victories witnessed in Girl Rising, I left with a new sense of  humility. A fair bit of warning, once you see this film, a little piece of your soul will stay attached to each and everyone of these girls. After hearing their life stories, you leave the theater rooting for them.  

Changing the world is really quite simple. According to the film, if you want to make the world a better place, slow the spread of HIV, raise nations out of poverty, and lower the global infanticide rates the answer is simple: Educate a Girl.

Here are the ways that you can help do that:

• Visit the website
• Bring the movie to your Community, Campus or Company
• Donate Funds
• Share the Stories   

My dream is to change the world through education and storytelling.

What are your dreams?

Best Wishes,

Kayla Swallow

TEDxWWU Curator and Western Washington University Student

In case you haven't seen the trailer for Girl Rising yet, you can watch it below: