GSW’s TEDx event brings community together for inspirational talks

AMERICUS, GA (October 26, 2023) – Over 100 TEDx enthusiasts gathered for Georgia Southwestern State University’s (GSW) second annual TEDxGeorgiaSouthwesternU event on Friday, Oct. 20, which was an inspiring evening centered around the theme Leaving Your Mark.

The independently-produced event, operated under a license from TED, was organized by GSW faculty and staff volunteers with the help of student volunteers in everything from production and streaming to marketing and event hosting, with the goal of providing students experiential learning opportunities.

The mission of TEDx is to “discover ideas worth sharing” and is aimed to give people a forum to share their passions, ideas and experiences. The evening featured a diverse line-up of speakers from the GSW and Americus community on topics ranging from social belonging to health and healing to influencing others and overcoming adversity.

Speakers included:

• Andrew Greer, singer, songwriter, producer, author, tv & podcast host
  “Social Belonging: The Power of Loving Your Neighbor”
• Jeremy Wicker, assistant director of Greek Life and Leadership, GSW
  “The Towel and the Bowl: The Power of Humility”
• Robin Humphreys, owner, Phoenix Heart Healing
  “The Healing Power of Creativity: Overcoming Depression Through Art”
• Chase Burnfin ‘15, certified public accountant, EIS Holdings
  “From the Cotton Field to the Corporate World: Finding Your Calling”
• Isaiah Dunschee ’23, record label owner, 7.1.7 Creations
  “How to Just Do It, with Fear”
• Tylah Kalukango, GSW student, middle grades education major
  “Your Glass is Half Full and Rising, If You Can Influence Others”
• Zoe Willis, GSW student and softball player, psychology major
  “Transforming Adversity into Advantage: Reflections of a Student-Athlete”

This is the only TEDx event in the Southwest Georgia region this year. The event committee and organizers hope TEDxGeorgiaSouthwesternU will continue to provide students with engaging experiences while also delivering a connection to the local Americus and GSW communities.

“This year’s TEDx event was not only a way to share inspiring and thought-provoking ideas within our community, but also a means for our students to gain real-life experience in their desired field,” said this year’s organizer, Hailey Henderson, MBA. “We are looking forward to future TEDx events on campus and being able to showcase student achievements, talented GSW faculty and staff and our amazing community.”

Watch the livestream for this year’s event on TEDxGeorgiaSouthwesternU’s YouTube channel. Photos can be found on Facebook and Flickr.

The third annual TEDxGeorgiaSouthwesternU will be scheduled for Spring 2025.

For more information, visit www.gsw.edu/TEDx. Follow TEDxGeorgiaSouthwesternU on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube for updates on future events.