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.
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.
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 1st, 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!
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.
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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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.
To keep the party going, we are excited to introduce Catharine Vader and Jasmine Wilhelm!
Catharine Vader
Catharine Vader is a lifelong learner. Her work at Western Washington University for over 20 years has provided a variety of learning opportunities, from triage nursing at the Student Health Center to teaching health education classes with Prevention and Wellness Services. She is passionate about teaching and mentoring students. She also enjoys dancing with her husband, Peter, cooking, gardening, hiking, and connecting with family and friends. A highlight in her life is her daughter Amelia and son-in-love Kyle. She is a registered nurse, board certified in College Health Nursing and is the coordinator of the University’s Wellness Outreach Center.
Jasmine likes thunder and stories, along with laughter, adventure and listening, too. Jasmine is currently finishing her Junior year as a double major in Studio Art and Recreation at Western Washington University. She wants to take people outside, show them how nature can ground you and inspire you. She also wants to create safe spaces to be vulnerable, to learn, to grow: to create art. Jasmine feels that being an RA for two years and being part of the communities through that job, have defined her Western experience in the most extraordinary and positive ways.
In the now immortal words of Kid President: “The world needs you to stop being boring. Ya, you!”
And I kinda have to admit, I agree with him.
I am not saying you have a poor personality, or are lacking in any sort of character trait. What I am trying to say is that we, as a generation, are bored and lacking motivation.
My theory? I think that we are bored because we are waiting.
It seems to me that everyone in college is waiting for the next Big Moment. The next moment that will thrust them out into the world, into the space that they feel they will actually be able to accomplish things in. First, we start off waiting to turn 18, the age we feel we will actually have control over things (what a joke!). Then we are waiting till we get into a good college, then waiting for the right internship, for graduation, a dream job, marriage... the list is never ending. I have found that there is no concrete list in life of what the Big Moment could be, it just seems like there is always an event people are waiting for, one that is over the horizon out of their reach.
I see a lot of problems with the allure of the Big Moment.
Don't get me wrong, I think looking forward to the future is wonderful. At this time in life, it is something that we should be doing. It is both constructive and proactive. However, the concern with this fixation on the Big Moment is that it is consuming time, energy and emotion. With that consumption, what is left for today?
I believe getting lost in the idea of waiting for the Big Moment takes away from the beauty of seeing that today is, in fact, a Big Moment. Every person you meet, every opportunity you take, everything you do has the power to be a glorious, wonderful, spontaneous Big Moment. While they may seem small and insignificant now, when you look back , you will realize it was not the defined “Big Moments” in your life that shape who you are, or got you to where you wanted to be. It was all the daily Big Moments added together that define where your life is headed.
So, in the true spirit of Kid President, here is my pep talk to you, Western Washington University: You are in college for four years. That is 1,460 days to go and live those Big Moments. My dream is for you to realize the power and transformation that comes with putting a pause on waiting for the future, and going out to seize the moments you are given each day. Put those 1,460 days to good use and make them become 1,460 Big Moments that will shape your life in the greatest way possible.
So stop waiting, get out there and live more Big Moments. I promise that they will show you more creativity, inspiration and happiness. And that is something that the world can use more of.
Best Wishes,
Kayla Swallow
TEDxWWU Intern and WWU Student
"This is life people, you got air coming through your nose, you got a heartbeat. That means it’s time to do something."- Kid President
If you have not already seen Kid President's Pep Talk, prepare yourself for some awesomeness.
Is anyone else keeping a count-down till TEDxWWU? We are! Only 26 days to go. Now we would like to introduce you to two speakers who are currently attending Western!
Danica Kilander
Danica will graduate this spring 2013 from Fairhaven College at Western Washington University. She created a self-designed, interdisciplinary degree called “Social Entrepreneurship”. Her studies focus on how identities and communities are built, and how inspired learning and leadership are facilitated. After graduation, Danica and the LivLife team will launch an educational non-profit called LivLife Today, offering the empowerment program “I AM: Inspiring A Movement”. After years of pushing boundaries and exploring around the globe, Danica has one firm belief, best stated by her 7 year-old friend Olivia, “Love is the most and it’s all we need.”
Cambria Prentice-Wattson is currently a 19-year-old student of history at Western Washington University with an interest in museum curatorship. In June, 2012 she graduated simultaneously from Skyview High School and Clark Community College through the Running Start program earning her High School Diploma and Associate’s Degree with honors. In high school, Ms. Prentice-Wattson was active in her community participated in the National Honors Society, the French National Honors Society, and the American Red Cross. At Western, she has helped established a U.S. History Club where she sits as Vice President. In her free time she enjoys participating in soccer, and tennis. She is scheduled to graduate with her degree in history in 2014.
The past few weeks we have been posting introductions to our speakers for this years event. In doing so, we have received a few questions from people asking how we made our speaker selections and inquiries into what really stood out in an application.
While there were many factors that had to be looked at and analyzed when determining who would be speaking at our event, there were three main areas that we focused on when reviewing an application:
1: How well their topic fit into our theme
This first point is really one that is two sided. To start off, while it is important to remember that you do not want your speakers to all be talking directly to you theme, you really do want them to be talking around the theme. Mostly, we did not want the speakers to be repeating our theme directly in their talk, but rather talk about things that related to the theme. The second side to this was making sure that applicant’s theme and idea were suited for our audience. When reviewing speaker applications, there were many talks and ideas that were wonderful, but did not fit into the type of experience we were looking into giving our audience.
2: Stage Presence
While this one may seem like a no brainer, it really is important to select applicants based off of how poised and comfortable they are either onstage, or in their filmed application video. If they are able to be very comfortable during the application process, the idea is that the day of the event they will be able to remain that way. If they are already nervous or fidgety in the applicant video, that will be amplified the day of your event.
3: Organization of Idea
This may have been the biggest factor in our decisions. We really wanted to get a general feeling of just what the essence of a person’s message was during the application process. If we were unable to keep track of where thoughts and ideas were going, it is unlikely that a live audience would have been able to do so either. We strongly recommend that people hone in and condense their ideas to make them stronger and more efficient messages.
Welcome to the final month till TEDxWWU! With just 31 days till the event, we are gearing up and ready to rock with two more of our amazing speakers!
Benjie Howard
Benjie Howard was raised in the foothills of the North Cascade Mountains, where he lived in a remodeled barn, and went to a one room country school. He is the co-founder and director of New Wilderness Project, a collective of artists and educators working with school districts, universities, and organizations across the country offering performance, community engagement, and social justice leadership programs. He is a river guide and wilderness educator on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. Benjie is the founder of Cascadia Exploration Company. He finished his second full length album, “Secrets Like Bones” in 2012. He is currently in the middle of a nation wide album release tour. Benjie lives in Bellingham with his wife and his two children. If you would like to learn more about Benjie and New Wilderness Project, visit their website Here.
Daniel Espinoza-Gonzalez Daniel Espinoza-Gonzalez is a double major in English Literature with an interdisciplinary concentration titled "Writing to Explore; Performance to Empower." Currently the Program Support Coordinator of the Associated Students' Ethnic Student Center at Western Washington University, he has co-presented with Dr. Carmen Werder and other students about the role of student voices in enhancing education at multiple forums including the 2009 International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) conference and the 2012 AAC&U Annual Meeting. His reflective piece titled "Finding Value in My Voice" was published in the Winter 2013 issue of Diversity & Democracy (AAC&U). On the side, he performs spoken word poetry.
College is a time of transitions. Often, students are not just moving to an institution of higher education, they are often moving from home, from family and from the familiar. One thing that we have noticed happen during this transition, is that college students, particularly freshman, will lose their sense of voice. With all the commotion that comes with this huge move, students feel as if they have no right or authority to make grand, world changing actions. Moving to a large place and being thrust into the "adult" world, they often feel small and too childish to make a difference. Here within the SOS office, we feel that this is the opposite of what should be happening. At this age and level, students should be taking the opportunity to be making bold, optimistic and change inducing actions. Why? Because they are just as capable, if not more so, than anyone else. College students have the great ability to see road blocks, and yet still remain optimistic that they can over come them. College students are wonderful in the way that they keep their sense of creativity overflowing and unending.
We urge our students to not wait till they get a degree or become an "adult" before they start aspiring to their dreams. We believe that time is now.
To get the real essence of what we feel about this, today's TED is from Adora Svitak. This video speaks to the power of bold ideas and intense creativity that come from thinking "childishly".
With just over a month left to go till TEDxWWU, we are excited and pleased to announce the innovative speakers for the first TEDx event at Western. This week, we would like to introduce two more of our speakers, Gina Bacon and Dannie Soloff.
Gina Bacon graduated from Western Washington University in 2008 and received her Master’s Degree in Communication from the University of Utah in 2011. Gina is a Korean adoptee and has shared her story of racial identity at several events, including two international adoption conferences. Gina has a publication in press about familial and racial identity, and was featured in the newsletter of the Autonomous University of Barcelona’s (UAB) AFIN Research Group. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah and works in the Dean’s Office of the University of Utah School of Medicine.
Dannie Soloff was raised in the Pacific Northwest and grew up fascinated by the history of humans and the sciences of the earth and cosmos. In the effort to positively serve society, Dannie is exploring the true capacity of Social Development Programs in opening individuals and groups to greater integrity. After exploring general studies at Western Washington University, Dannie transferred to Fairhaven College to design an interdisciplinary concentration involving leadership, eco-mimicry, and social health. His self-designed major is titled "Social Stewardship". Daniel also enjoys gardening, ecological projects yoga, dance and cooking; his meditative activities. "May everyone everywhere be well."
Sometimes, it is hard to
put yourself in a position where you may fail. A position where you think that you may
come out the other side less popular, on the losing team, a little lost in the
commotion of life. When in college, it is easy to stick with what you know. The
job you work to just get a paycheck, the classes that you know you will get an
easy A in, the same plans each Friday night. It’s pretty normal to get content
and not take risks.
However, that’s not what
I want for the students that come through the Student Outreach Services office
here at WWU. I want students here at Western to leave with not only a degree,
but a lifetime of knowledge that can only come from making real, raw connections
with others and by taking opportunities that may frighten them at first. I
believe that learning doesn't just happen in a lecture hall on campus. I
believe that learning happens with every activity you partake in, every event
you attend, and every new person that you meet. I also believe that a
university like Western is the perfect platform for this growth.
The trouble with this
idea of growth? Often, allowing oneself to be open to these new experiences is
a frightening decision. Why? Because you may fail. That is the honest truth.
However, another truth is that you may not fail. You may come out the other
side of something with amazing memories, new friends and incredible growth that
you never would have found otherwise. If we were to place those two options on
a scale, I believe that taking those chances would outweigh the risk of failing,
every single time.
So here is my challenge
to you: College is the one place in life where, as cheesy as this is, the world
really is your oyster. So, go out and make those connections. Meet new people
who may have to ability change your vision. Seek out new experiences that leave
you pondering deep questions. Have a few adventures that will create a lifetime
of memories. The willingness to open yourself up for those adventures and opportunities
is as simple as getting in the metaphorical car and joining along for the
ride. Once you make that first step, the excitement, learning and growth fall
right into place.
My goal for you is to
make the most of your time here at Western. Go and take those opportunities for
failure. Find those moments to connect with people and make the most of them.
Go out, open yourself up to the unknown, and take some risks that may end up in
failure. The beauty is not in the risks that don’t end up in failure, the
beauty is in taking the risk in the first place and the joy that comes along
with it.
-Kayla Swallow
WWU Student and TEDxWWU Curator
“Twenty years from now you will be
more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade
winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain
One TED Talk that has meant a lot to me is Brene Brown's The Power of Vulnerability. This talk emphasizes the connections we make with others, and the level of vulnerability we must put ourselves in in order to make those connections. -Kayla Swallow
Here at TEDxWWU, we are excited and pleased to announce the innovative speakers for the first TEDx event at Western. This week, we would like to introduce two of our speakers, Swil Kanim and Corey Warren.
Swil Kanim, an enrolled member of the Lummi Nation, is the
president of HonorWorks, a 501c3 nonprofit corporation.He is a classically trained violinist, native
storyteller and actor.He and his team
carry the message of hope and healing to schools and organizations where young
people learn to honor themselves by staying in school, staying alive, staying
sober, and creating healthy communities. Swil Kanim’s compositions incorporate classical influences as
well as musical interpretations of his journey from depression and despair to
spiritual and emotional freedom. The stories and music emerging from his
experiences have been transforming people’s lives for decades.
To learn more about Swil Kanim, please visit his personal website here.
Corey Warren is an artist, a dreamer, and an entrepreneur. After attending four different universities across the north west, he settled in Bellingham and graduated from Western Washington University's Class of 2008.
The abundance of creativity, good people, and quality of life was too good to leave after college, so immediately upon graduating, Corey and his best friend Dylan Warnberg began a lofty project that would become INNATE; a symbol for their commitment to encouraging true, human expression and its infinite possibility.
To learn more about Corey Warren, please visit the website for INNATE here.
We get it. Honestly, we know that un-defining is really not a word. But all the same, it fits in with what we believe to be true about leadership so well that we took the creative liberty of making a word that would work for us. One of the things that we strongly support, encourage and cultivate here in the Student Outreach Services office is leadership. We believe that everyone has the power to be a leader and change the world. However, some people struggle with viewing themselves as a leader, or thinking that they have the potential to take action and create change. We feel that leadership is often a term that is confined to a specific definition. There are those who say that to be a leader you must have money, power, and a huge following of people to really be a "real" leader. We disagree. We feel anyone has the capacity to lead and everyone has the capacity to make a difference. We don't believe that it is enough to redefine leadership, as just by doing that you risk the possibility of limiting the people that will fit into the new definition. We think that we should un-define what it means to be a leader, so that more people will feel comfortable in that role. By un-defining what it means to be a leader, we can open the doors for more people to call themselves leaders and to go out and make a difference. In true TEDx spirit, we have found a two of our favorite TEDx and TED talks that are all about different definitions and ways to view leadership. Drew Dudley: Leading with Lollipops
Derek Sivers: How to Start a Movement
If you have a way that you think helps to Un-define Leadership, please let us know!
With our last post, we revealed the theme of our very first TEDx event at WWU, Renovations: Building Our Futures. With this theme, we have learned that there is a wide variety of interpretations. So, what does Renovations mean to us?
For us, Renovations is an exploration of both maintaining and strengthening values and foundations that one currently has while enhancing their potential to adapt, change and grow as individuals. We chose this theme to reflect the stories and experiences of our target audience, which will be primarily made of first generation, low-income and underrepresented college students.
Student Outreach Services works with incoming students who are coming to Western to pursue higher education and what it has to offer. They leave their homes, families, cultures and communities to join and become a part of a new culture at Western. They are thrown into a huge university where they are encouraged to change, learn and grow as much as possible. We feel that this is one of the main purposes of receiving a higher education and it makes for a positive impact on our students. However, we feel that students are not always encouraged to dig deeper into what they already came to campus with; their foundations, their values, their unique cultural identity. Our hope with TEDxWWU is to provide students with talks that really emphasize the power and strength that comes with the foundations they already have.
On the flip side of that, we feel that once one has a strong foundation built, they can grow and expand from there, hence the word Renovations. Renovations is not an idea that tears, destroys or removes something. To Renovate something, you are adding and improving upon what is already present. It is growth and movement.
It is about building our future and creating something that inspires us.
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